Death penalty bill and Haredi Civil Service bill set for final votes in coming days, though challenges remain

By Sam Sokol 29 March 2026, 11:04 pm

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Sam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, sporting a noose pin, attends a Knesset National Security Committee meeting discussing his 'death penalty for terrorists' bill in Jerusalem, March 24, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

A bill extending the validity of the National-Civic Service Law, which allows members of the ultra-Orthodox community to enlist in alternative tracks of service, instead of military service, and a bill imposing a death penalty for terrorists are expected to be passed in their final readings on Monday or Tuesday, immediately prior to the end of the current Knesset legislative session, Channel 12 reports.

Tuesday is the final day before the beginning of the Knesset’s Passover recess and it is also the deadline for passing the 2026 state budget.

Lawmakers voted 42-34 in favor of the first reading of the National-Civic Service Bill earlier this month, which is aimed at ensuring “the possibility of continuous further referral of [Haredim] to the national-civic service track until the completion of formulation of [a] general draft arrangement” for the ultra-Orthodox community.

On Tuesday last week, the Knesset National Security Committee voted to advance the far-right Otzma Yehudit party’s death penalty bill to its final readings.

However, according to the Israel Hayom daily, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to pressure Otzma Yehudit party chairman and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to withdraw the bill.

The right-wing Yisrael Beytenu opposition party, meanwhile, has said it will only vote in favor of the legislation if both Netanyahu and Shas chairman Aryeh Deri show up in person to vote in favor.

Additionally, several Arab MKs, as well as the Haredi Degel HaTorah party, are planning on opposing the bill. According to Haredi media reports, Degel HaTorah spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando has expressed concern that the legislation could endanger Diaspora Jewry.