European nations urge Israel to abandon its controversial death penalty bill

A group of European countries have expressed "deep concern" about Israel's death penalty bill, urging Tel Aviv to drop its plan to vote the controversial legislation into law.

In a statement Sunday, foreign ministers of Germany, France, Italy, and the UK said they "express our deep concern about a bill that would significantly expand the possibilities to impose the death penalty in Israel and that could be voted into law next week."

Noting particular worry about the "de facto discriminatory character" of the bill, the statement said its adoption would risk undermining "Israel's commitments with regards to democratic principles." The foreign ministers said rejection of the death penalty is a "fundamental value that unites us," adding: "We urge the Israeli decision makers in Knesset and Government to abandon these plans."

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen subsequently said the Netherlands joins the four countries in expressing "deep concern" over the bill ahead of its parliamentary vote. "NL (Netherlands) is principally against the death penalty and urges Israel's government and Parliament to reconsider this bill," he wrote on US social media company X.

The bill is expected to be presented to the Knesset's General Assembly this week for a vote in the second and third readings, which mark the final stages for it to become enforceable law.

Under the bill, the death penalty can be imposed without a request from the prosecution, unanimity will not be required for a death sentence, and the decision will be made by a simple majority. Military courts applying to Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank would also be able to impose the death penalty, with the defense minister having the right to submit an opinion to the judicial panel.

In cases where Palestinians under Israeli occupation are sentenced to death, the bill specifies that avenues for pardon or appeal would be closed. For prisoners tried in Israel, the penalty could be commuted to life imprisonment.

The bill was welcomed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called it "a historic day."

Israel has sharply escalated its violations against Palestinian detainees since the start of the war in October 2023, particularly those from Gaza, including starvation, torture, sexual violence, and systematic denial of medical care, according to rights groups.