Eight Muslim countries “strongly condemned” Israel’s new law that provides for “death penalty for terrorists.” The reason for their reaction is that the law’s wording appears to specifically “target” Palestinians. Specifically, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s new law, as it “allows the imposition of the death penalty in the occupied West Bank and the de facto implementation against Palestinians,” as they characteristically stated.
Death penalty: What the law provides
The law was adopted on Monday (30/3) and stipulates that “anyone who intentionally or through indifference causes the death of an Israeli citizen for reasons of racism or hostility toward a community, and with the aim of harming the State of Israel and the renaissance of the Jewish people in their country, shall face the death penalty.” Theoretically, the death penalty could also be applied to Israelis, but critics of the law emphasize that due to its wording it would be very difficult for this to happen. Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of these eight countries estimated that this law constitutes a “dangerous escalation,” as such measures carry “the risk of further exacerbating tensions and undermining regional stability.”
“Deep concern” from 8 Muslim countries
Furthermore, the ministers expressed their “deep concern about the conditions of Palestinian prisoners” in Israel and emphasized that there is an “urgent need to avoid measures (…) which risk further escalating tensions on the ground.” Finally, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk assessed that the Israeli law violates international humanitarian law.
