Chairman of the Knesset National Security Committee MK Tzvika Foghel and Coalition Chairman MK Ofir Katz reached an agreement Monday with the Knesset’s legal advisor to hold another discussion next week on the death penalty for terrorists bill, to be followed by a vote.
The move follows an ultimatum from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who warned that if the bill was not advanced within three weeks, his Otzma Yehudit party would withdraw from the government.
Minister Ben Gvir welcomed the development, saying: “I commend Coalition Chairman MK Ofir Katz for announcing that next week the vote on the death penalty for terrorists bill will take place, following another discussion, and Chairman of the National Security Committee MK Tzvika Foghel of Otzma Yehudit for advancing the bill professionally. It’s time to deliver justice - it’s time for the death penalty for terrorists.”
The legislation, a key initiative of Otzma Yehudit, was last debated about a month ago in the National Security Committee and approved for a first reading, despite opposition from the committee’s legal counsel, who recommended cancelling the discussion. The coalition pushed forward, rejecting an official request from the Prime Minister’s Office to delay the process. Minister Ben Gvir dismissed the request and insisted on advancing the bill.
During Monday’s heated committee session, Ben Gvir reiterated his ultimatum to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Opposition members accused him of promoting punitive measures against security prisoners, which they claimed led to increased violence against hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Committee Chairman MK Foghel emphasized the bill’s importance, stating: “The death penalty for terrorists bill is not only Otzma Yehudit’s flagship - it is the backbone of Israeli sovereignty in its fight against terrorism. We will complete all necessary steps to pass the bill in its first reading as early as next week.”