Lawmakers hurled accusations at one another at the Knesset’s National Security Committee on Wednesday regarding ethical issues surrounding the death penalty for terrorists bill presented by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Ben-Gvir has vowed to conduct marathon committee meetings to advance the bill for its second and third reading, allowing the legislation to pass. It passed a legislative hurdle in its first reading at the Knesset plenum last week.
The bill was proposed by the Otzma Yehudit Party, led by Ben-Gvir.
The issue most debated in the discussion was the ethical aspects of its outline, causing the meeting to break out into clashes between Ben-Gvir, MKs, and representatives in the meeting.
The outline presented to the panel provided more details on the bill’s technical aspects, which were criticized as unrealistic for successfully passing legislation.
The death penalty would be carried out by the Israel Prison Service via lethal injection, which would be required to conduct it within 90 days of the verdict, the outline states.
The outline also said that the law would only apply to terrorists who murdered Jews, and that it would be imposed by a majority, without judicial discretion.
Once the verdict is determined, there would be no possibility to appeal the punishment or to change the verdict, the outline stated.
Issues arise for Israeli doctors to administer lethal shot
Dr. Alberto Olszewski spoke as a representative from the Israel Medical Association, raising the issue of doctors being able to ethically participate in administering the lethal shot.
He said that no doctor would be willing to cooperate with administering the death penalty to terrorists.
Olszewski also argued that, according to obligations under international conventions, Israeli doctors are prohibited from participating actively or passively in executions.
“The World Medical Organization determines that participation of doctors in executions is ethically unacceptable at all stages, including preparation and consultation, and our knowledge may not be used for purposes other than promoting health and welfare,” he told the panel.
Ben-Gvir argued that he knew doctors who would indeed be willing to administer the shot.
“You are proposing to execute them [terrorists] by shooting or the gallows. I know doctors who would volunteer to do this [by lethal injection],” he told the committee.
Clashes break out as MKs criticize outline of bill
Oded Forer (Yisrael Beytenu) criticized the bill’s outline for not being realistic enough to be properly discussed in the committee meeting.
He requested a document from the legal counsel that would ensure the law meets all legal tests and is practical.
MK Gilad Kariv (The Democrats) was kicked out of the committee meeting due to a clash with Ben-Gvir about the ethical aspects of the bill.
“A state does not operate according to feelings of revenge. You are asking to turn us into a pariah state that spits on Jewish morality. This is a racist law proposed by a racist, fanatical group that disgraces Zionism, Judaism, and the State of Israel,” Kariv said.
MK Aida Touma-Sliman, from the secular Arab party Hadash-Ta’al, was also removed from the discussion after clashing with Ben-Gvir on the bill.
“Go to your friends, terrorist supporters,” Ben-Gvir said as Touma-Slima was removed from the discussion.
Regarding the issue of the bill being immoral from a religious point of view in Judaism, Ben-Gvir responded that the Jewish bible indicates support of the death penalty.
“I’ll teach you about Judaism,” Ben-Gvir said as he offered to open a lesson on the bible to the panel.
Dr. Amir Fuchs from the Israel Democracy Institute said that the death penalty would not succeed in deterring terrorists.
“Research [on the death penalty] worldwide has failed to prove deterrence. Ordinary criminals are not deterred; why would terrorists, taking extreme risks, be?”
The bill’s explanatory notes say that since imprisonment does not serve as a sufficient deterrence for terrorists, it is proposed that terrorists who commit murder will be punished by death.
The legal adviser of the committee said that positions on the outline from the Defense Ministry had not yet been received. The position of the Justice Ministry was also not yet given on the proposal.