The European Union (EU) on Thursday criticized the Israeli government for advancing the Death Penalty for Terrorists Bill, prompting the Foreign Ministry to blast the EU’s double standards.
In a statement denouncing the Israeli legislation, the EU said the bill “is deeply concerning", adding that the EU “opposes capital punishment in all cases and under all circumstances."
“The death penalty is a violation of the right to life and cannot be executed without violation of the absolute right to be free from torture and other ill-treatment. Capital punishment also has no proven deterrent effect and renders any judicial errors irreversible," said the EU statement.
“Israel has long upheld a de facto moratorium on both executions and capital punishment sentencing, thereby leading by example in the region despite a complex security environment," the statement continued, adding, “Approving this bill would represent a grave step backward from this important practice and from positions Israel has itself expressed in the past."
“The EU encourages Israel to abide by its previous principled position, with its obligations under international law, as well as its commitment to democratic principles, as reflected also in the provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement," the statement concluded.
In response, Israel’s Foreign Ministry noted that the EU is intervening in a sovereign country’s legislative process.
“Israel, as a sovereign state, legislates its own laws. Unbelievably, the European Union is intervening in the midst of a sovereign state’s legislative process," the ministry said.
“Israel is facing murderous and brutal terrorism on a scale unmatched anywhere in the world. Palestinian terrorism is fueled by payments from the Palestinian Authority, as well as by abductions that lead to shortened prison terms for terrorists," it continued.
The statement noted that “Israeli law already permits capital punishment, and under the proposed new law, discretion over its application will remain with the courts."
“EU double standards: as always, the EU obsessively singles out Israel - we haven’t seen a tweet like this when it comes to capital punishment in the United States, Japan, India, Egypt, or other countries," the Foreign Ministry concluded.
The Knesset National Security Committee, chaired by MK Tzvika Foghel, approved the Death Penalty for Terrorists bill for its second and third readings on Tuesday.
The bill, advanced by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and MK Limor Son Har-Melech, is expected to come up for final approval in the Knesset plenum as early as next week.
According to the approved version of the bill, a terrorist who intentionally causes the death of a person in the course of a terrorist act motivated by nationalist ideology will face the death penalty.
The legislation includes several groundbreaking provisions in the Israeli legal system: courts will be required to impose the death sentence with no discretion for leniency, and a unanimous decision by the panel of judges will not be necessary.
In addition, the sentence will be carried out by the Israel Prison Service through hanging, and execution must take place within 90 days of the final verdict. The law also strips the President of the authority to grant clemency to terrorists sentenced to death.