A controversial new law allowing the death penalty in certain terrorism-related cases involving Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has officially come into force after Israel’s military command approved its implementation, 24NewsHD TV reported on Monday.
According to the Israeli media, Major General Avi Bluth, head of the Israeli army’s Central Command, signed the military order required to enforce the legislation in the occupied West Bank.
Under the new measure, Palestinians convicted in military courts of killing Israeli citizens could face mandatory capital punishment, with courts largely barred from issuing alternative sentences.
The law allows judges to hand down life imprisonment only under exceptional circumstances.
The legislation was approved by the Knesset in late March, after which Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz formally requested the military command to authorize its enforcement through a military order.
According to the text of the law, the measure will apply only to Palestinians tried in Israeli military courts operating in the occupied West Bank.
The law explicitly excludes Israeli citizens and residents, whose criminal cases continue to be handled through Israel’s civilian court system.
Critics have described the legislation as discriminatory, arguing that it creates separate legal standards for Palestinians and Israelis living in the same territory.
The occupied West Bank has long remained a focal point of tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, with international rights groups frequently criticizing the use of military courts for Palestinian defendants.