Israel's Ben Gvir celebrates death penalty law by drinking wine in parliament
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was pictured rejoicing in the passing of a controversial bill that would allow the execution of Palestinian prisoners.
The far-right minister, who has largely championed the legislation, was seen celebrating its approval by drinking and serving alcohol to members of the Israeli parliament.
The Knesset approved the bill in its last readings on Monday with 62-48 vote in favour, despite international pleas to "abandon" the ruling.
"This is a day of justice for the victims and a day of deterrence for our enemies. No more revolving door for terrorists, but a clear decision. Whoever chooses terrorism chooses death," Ben Gvir said, sporting the golden noose-shaped pin symbolising his campaign calling for the execution of Palestinian detainees.
Knesset member Limor Son Har-Melech, who spearheaded the law, called the occasion a day where Israel "chose life" and said the decision is an example of "true Jewish morality".
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The legislation has drawn criticism for violating the right to life and for its potentially discriminatory application, with Palestinians accused of terrorism facing execution while Jewish offenders would at most receive prison sentences for similar crimes.
The general framework of the law stipulates that anyone "who intentionally causes the death of another person with the intent to harm an Israeli citizen or resident, with the intent to end the existence of the State of Israel, shall be sentenced to death or life imprisonment".
Human rights groups and legal experts have staunchly stood against the bill, noting Israel's widespread arrests of Palestinians on broad "terrorism" charges and a surge in reports of torture and deaths in custody since the war on Gaza began.
Israel’s parliament passed a death penalty law on Monday targeting Palestinians, in a move condemned by human rights organisations.
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The law now makes the death penalty the default sentence for Palestinians for killings that come under “acts of terrorism” pic.twitter.com/p3uEloeo9c
Widespread condemnations have followed the ruling, with Palestinian factions, experts, NGOs and international governments slamming the bill as a violation of international law.
The very fact that the Knesset is passing legislation pertaining to Palestinians in the occupied territories is illegal under international law. An occupying power cannot generally apply its domestic laws to occupied territories.
Leading Palestinian prisoners' groups have published a joint statement describing the Knesset as a "terrorist institution and a body that legitimises genocide".
"While the world is preoccupied with the ongoing war, Israel is proceeding with the enactment of a racist law that poses one of the most serious threats to the fate of Palestinian prisoners, in blatant and grave violation of international law," the groups said.
"At this extremely dangerous juncture, as our people are subjected to systematic and continuous targeting, we affirm that the occupation regime has reached a level of brutality that defies description and comprehension by the international human rights system.
"This system has proven its utter inability to exert any effective pressure to halt the genocide and ethnic cleansing perpetrated against Palestinians everywhere."
'Immoral law'
A number of Israeli rights groups - including Adalah, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), HaMoked and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) - have also condemned the law, as have some opposition parties, which announced that they would petition the High Court of Justice to nullify it.
Democrat MP Gilad Kariv, a member of the Knesset National Security Committee, called the bill an "immoral law that contradicts the foundational values of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state".
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority's foreign affairs ministry said the bill "ensures impunity for Israeli war criminals".
"This law constitutes, in its essence, a decision for institutionalised field execution according to racist standards, reflecting clear intentions to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity," it added.
The Palestinian group Hamas said for its part that the new ruling "reflects the bloodthirsty nature" of Israel, exposing the "falsehood of its repeated claims to civility and adherence to human values".
On Sunday, the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom warned Israel that the bill could undermine its commitment to democratic principles.
Several other countries have slammed the capital punishment clause, including Ireland, the Netherlands, Egypt, Jordan and Slovenia.
In contrast, the US has avoided criticising the bill, with a State Department spokesperson telling reporters that Washington respects Israel's "sovereign right to determine its own laws and penalties for individuals convicted of terrorism".
"We trust that any such measures will be carried out with a fair trial and respect for all applicable fair trial guarantees and protections," they added.
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