Islamic nations condemn Israel’s death penalty law for Palestinians, warn of rising tensions

A coalition of Islamic nations, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Indonesia, has strongly condemned Israel’s approval of a death penalty law targeting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, warning that the move could destabilise the region.

The joint statement, issued by foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, described the legislation as a “dangerous escalation.”

“This legislation constitutes a dangerous escalation, particularly given its discriminatory application against Palestinian prisoners… such measures risk further exacerbating tensions and undermining regional stability,” the statement read.

The controversial law, passed by Israeli parliament earlier this week, mandates the death penalty for Palestinians convicted by military courts of carrying out deadly attacks classified as acts of terrorism.

Critics argue that the law effectively creates a dual legal system, as Palestinians in the West Bank are automatically tried in Israeli military courts, unlike Israeli citizens who face civilian courts where judges retain discretion between death and life imprisonment.

The legislation has also drawn criticism from international bodies, including the United Nations and the European Union, while the United States has expressed support for Israel’s right to determine its laws.

Historically, Israel has rarely applied the death penalty, with only two recorded executions—one shortly after its founding in 1948 and another in 1962 involving Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, and violence in the region has intensified following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, which triggered the ongoing Gaza conflict.