Grotesque. Illegal. Inhumane. Degrading, Draconian, Discriminatory.... are some of the qualifiers of Israel's new law adopting the death penalty for Palestinians, whose land it illegally occupies and confiscates, who resist the occupation.
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'This is apartheid’: International politicians, governments condemn terror death penalty law
Mathilda Heller
Tue, March 31, 2026
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also responded to the bill on Tuesday, calling its passing "one more step toward apartheid."
Scores of politicians and governments around the world have condemned the Israeli Knesset’s approval of a law mandating the death penalty for terrorists, calling it an act of “apartheid.”
The bill, sponsored by far Right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit Party, aims to act as a deterrent against terror and serve a measure of justice for victims of terrorism.
The foreign ministers of Australia, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom released a joint statement, saying that the death penalty “is an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterring effect.”
The Spanish government called it a “draconian law,” which is “discriminatory against the Palestinian population.”
“The text also implies the illegal exercise of Israeli jurisdiction in the Occupied Territory belonging to the state of Palestine, which is particularly serious in the case of the application of capital punishment,” Spain’s Foreign Ministry added.
Knesset approves death penalty for terrorists bill, March 30, 2026. (credit: KNESSET)
Europe slams Israel's death penalty for terror bill
Spain reiterates its firm rejection of the death penalty in all cases and circumstances, considering it a cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment that has no proven deterrent effect and causes irreparable harm in the event of a miscarriage of justice.
The Irish government said the right to life was a fundamental human right and called the bill “de facto discriminatory” because it may disproportionately target Palestinians.
The UK’s Green Party leader Zack Polanski said, “This is apartheid,” adding, “It’s morally disgusting – and comes at the same time as Israel is committing an ongoing genocide.”
These claims of apartheid were echoed by many groups, both governmental and non-governmental (such as pro-Palestinian NGOs.) Amnesty UK claimed “The death penalty will now become part of the system of apartheid, genocide, and occupation that Palestinians continue to suffer,” adding, “Israel is brazenly granting itself free rein to execute Palestinians while stripping away the most basic fair-trial safeguards.”
Extra criticism was directed at Ben-Gvir, who was pictured celebrating the bill’s passage with champagne.
The Irish Sinn Fein party said its “revulsion at this law was compounded by the grotesque sight of Ben-Gvir celebrating with bottles of champagne.”
European Deputy with the France Insoumise Party Manon Aubry called for Europe to suspend the association agreement with Israel on account of Ben-Gvir’s actions, saying “Europe can no longer be complicit.”
Former Labour UK leader Jeremy Corbyn said, “The Israeli government is raising a toast to genocidal apartheid. The UK government is arming and funding it.”
A US State Department spokesperson, however, said it respects Israel’s “sovereign right to determine its own laws and penalties for individuals convicted of terrorism.”
“We trust that any such measures will be carried out with a fair trial and respect for all applicable fair trial guarantees and protections,” the spokesperson said.
The United States is the only NATO country that still practices capital punishment.
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