What’s happening?

For months, the Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir has campaigned for the adoption of a law labeled as “Death Penalty for Terrorists”. The bill has recently been passed by the Knesset.

In practice, it will allow military courts, which answer directly to the Israeli Minister of Defense, to sentence Palestinians who committed “murderous terrorist attacks” against Israeli citizens to death.

Although the death penalty has never been formerly abolished in Israeli law, it is reserved for crimes against humanity and treason. It has been executed only once in 78 years, against Holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann.

This law sets a dangerous precedent and goes against the course of history. It constitutes a new tool of oppression and apartheid against the Palestinians.‍ ‍

What does the bill say?

In the occupied West Bank, “a resident of the area who intentionally causes the death of a person and the act is an act of terrorism as defined in the Counter-Terrorism Law, 5776--2016, shall be sentenced to death and this punishment only”.

  • The bill would make the death penalty for “terrorist acts” an automatic punishment declared by a simple majority of judges in military courts.

  • It specifies that “a resident of the area” is anyone living in the West Bank “excluding a resident of an Israeli settlement in the area”. This law exclusively targets Palestinians.

  • Since “it shall not be possible to mitigate or commute the death sentence imposed on a terrorist suspect, defendant, or convict (…), nor to pardon them”, the bill does not allow alternative legal actions.

I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life

Deuteronomy 30:19

הַחַיִּים וְהַמָּוֶת נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ, הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה; וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים

דברים ל׳:ט״ו-כ׳

قَدْ جَعَلْتُ قُدَّامَكَ الْحَيَاةَ وَالْمَوْتَ، الْبَرَكَةَ وَاللَّعْنَةَ. فَاخْتَرِ الْحَيَاةَ

التثنية 30:19

Join our call against death penalty for Palestinian prisoners!

Combatants for Peace is part of a coalition of Israeli organizations which opposes the “Death Penalty for Terrorists” law.

You can help us by signing the petition of our partner Zazim, the largest campaigning community in Israel.

Sign the petition

Events

West Bank Update: Escalations of Violence and Terror

9 APRIL 2026
1:00PM EST丨6:00PM London丨8:00PM Jerusalem

Join us at for a dialogue between activists Mai Shahin, Iris Gur and Sharona Weiss, and Palestinian resident of Qusra Mahmoud Odeh. Together, they will share about the intensification of settler terrorist attacks and violence of the occupation in the West Bank. The conversation will be moderated by Jessica Naef from Ina autra sense - Swiss Friends of CfP.

Register here

Actions

Two days after the passing of the law, we gave a press conference and organized a protest in Beit Jala. The Israeli military and police arrived quickly and in force.

Photos: Ghassan Bannoura

Combatants for Peace launched a public awareness campaign to draw support from the Israeli society against the bill. We put stickers in public spaces including a call to sign the petition.

The Clock Tower, Jaffa

Central Station, Jerusalem

Charles Clore Park, Tel Aviv

In December 2025, we demonstrated against the death penalty, Israelis and Palestinians together, at the entrance of Beit Jala, shortly after the government started campaigning in favor of the law.

Photos: Ghassan Bannoura