The Knesset voted 62-48 on Monday to pass a bill in its second and third readings imposing the death penalty on terrorists convicted of killing Israelis.
‘’Consistent with our global efforts towards universal abolition of the death penalty, the EU urges Israel to abide by its previous principled position and 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 EU said in a statement.
A statement issued last Wednesday by the EU foreign policy chief on behalf of the European Union, recalls that the EU ‘’has a principled position against the death penalty in all cases and in all circumstances.’’
The statement adds that the approval of the death penalty bill by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, ”marks a grave regression from that practice and from Israel’s own commitments. We are deeply concerned about the de facto discriminatory character of the bill.’’
The Knesset voted 62-48 on Monday to pass a bill in its second and third readings imposing the death penalty on terrorists convicted of killing Israelis.
“We have made history. From now on, every mother in Judea and Samaria will know that if her son goes out to murder, his sentence is the gallows,” said Itamar Ben Gvir, the Israeli national security minister who supported the legislation.
“I say to the people of the European Union, who have applied pressure and threatened the State of Israel, ‘We are not afraid. We will not submit,’” he stated. “We are in our country with our sovereignty and will protect our citizens. And a terrorist, who goes out to kill, let him know that he will go to the gallows.”
The EU statement adds: ‘’Consistent with our global efforts towards universal abolition of the death penalty, the EU urges Israel to abide by its previous principled position and 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 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 has also no proven deterrent effect and renders any judicial errors irreversible.’’
The EU also stresses that Israel ‘’had 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.’’
An Eu spokesperson declined to answer a question whether the EU plans to take any concrete action to suspend the Israel EU association agreement following the death penalty law. He noted that ‘’ several voices have been raised in Israel after the adoption of the law’’ and that ‘’there is an appea to the Supreme Court.’’
The European Union said that the approval of the death penalty bill by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, ‘’marks a grave regression from that practice and from Israel’s own commitments. We are deeply concerned about the de facto discriminatory character of the bill.’’
The Knesset voted 62-48 on Monday to pass a bill in its second and third readings imposing the death penalty on terrorists convicted of killing Israelis.
“We have made history. From now on, every mother in Judea and Samaria will know that if her son goes out to murder, his sentence is the gallows,” said Itamar Ben Gvir, the Israeli national security minister who supported the legislation.
“I say to the people of the European Union, who have applied pressure and threatened the State of Israel, ‘We are not afraid. We will not submit,’” he stated. “We are in our country with our sovereignty and will protect our citizens. And a terrorist, who goes out to kill, let him know that he will go to the gallows.”
A statement issued last Wednesday by the EU foreign policy chief on behalf of the European Union, recalls that the EU ‘’has a principled position against the death penalty in all cases and in all circumstances.’’
‘’Consistent with our global efforts towards universal abolition of the death penalty, the EU urges Israel to abide by its previous principled position and 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 adds.
‘’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 has also no proven deterrent effect and renders any judicial errors irreversible.’’
The EU also stresses that Israel ‘’had 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.’’
An EU spokesperson declined to answer a question whether the EU plans to take any concrete action to suspend the Israel EU association agreement following the death penalty law. He noted that ‘’ several voices have been raised in Israel after the adoption of the law’’ and that ‘’there is an appea to the Supreme Court.’’