Lawmakers approve bill on death penalty for terrorists in its first reading

Lawmakers vote 39-16 in favor of the first reading of the controversial government-backed bill to impose the death penalty on terrorists who have killed Israelis.

Two other death penalty bills, sponsored by Likud MK Nissim Vaturi and Yisrael Beytenu MK Oded Forer, also pass 36-15 and 37-14.

Otzma Yehudit MK Limor Son Har-Melech’s bill stipulates that Israeli courts must impose the death penalty on those who have committed a nationalistically motivated murder of a citizen of Israel, while allowing judges serving on military courts in the West Bank to sentence offenders to death with a simple majority, rather than unanimous decision. The bill would also remove the possibility of regional military commanders commuting such sentences.

The bill states that it applies to those who kill Israelis due to “racism” and “with the aim of harming the State of Israel and the revival of the Jewish people in its land,” leading to criticism that it would apply only to Arabs who kill Jews and not to Jewish terrorists.

“Today, we took a historic step towards true justice and strengthening deterrence against terrorism. The death penalty law for terrorists, which passed its first reading, is a moral and national expression of a people that refuses to accept a reality in which murderers of Jews live in prison and expect deals,” says Har-Melech.

The bill will now be referred to committee to be prepared for the final two readings it must pass to become law. After the vote on Har-Melech’s bill, Otzma Yehudit chairman and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir begins handing out baklavas until they are confiscated by Knesset ushers. The handing out of baklavas has sometimes been seen on Palestinian streets when rejoicing in deadly attacks on Israelis, and has become synonymous in Israel with the celebration of such murderous violence.

הצעת חוק עונש מוות למחבלים אושרה בקריאה ראשונה, בן גביר חילק בקלאוות במליאה pic.twitter.com/A6Yfaq53GK

— החדשות – N12 (@N12News) November 10, 2025

“Those who murdered, raped, and kidnapped our sons and daughters do not deserve to see the light of day, and their sentence should be death,” Ben Gvir says in a statement. “The death penalty law is not only a moral and just step, but also critical to the security of the state.”

Except for Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party, which voted in favor, the votes were largely boycotted by the opposition, with all of Blue and White and all but one of Yesh Atid’s MKs staying away.

Among the Haredi parties, United Torah Judaism’s Degel HaTorah faction pledged to oppose the bill. All but two of Shas’s lawmakers missed the late night vote.