27/03/2026 Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Gala Veldhoen (Netherlands, SOC), General Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the abolition of the death penalty, made the following statement today:
“I am deeply concerned about the bill currently under discussion in Israel which would introduce death sentences by military courts in the West Bank by default and expand the offences punishable by death in Israel.
Against the backdrop of a growing international consensus in favour of the abolition of capital punishment, this bill constitutes an alarming setback for a country where the last execution dates back to 1962. The bill also raises serious and wide-ranging legal and human rights concerns, as pointed out by many national and international actors, including government ministries and former Supreme Court judges in Israel.
By expanding the use of the death penalty in a discriminatory way against Palestinians, it undermines the principle of equality before the law. By prohibiting the reduction or commutation of sentences and the granting of pardons in military courts, it removes essential safeguards that are integral to justice systems. Furthermore, the introduction of execution procedures marked by secrecy significantly restricts the rights of death row prisoners, who will be executed by hanging.
Taken together, these elements would place Israel further away from Council of Europe values and in violation of its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including the prohibition of discrimination and of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as the rights to life and to a fair trial. Undoubtedly this would seriously jeopardise Israel’s observer status with PACE.
I strongly urge Israel to refrain from expanding the scope of capital punishment, and I call on members of the Knesset to oppose the bill’s passage into law. Furthermore, all Council of Europe member states and the EU should fully use diplomatic channels and exert international pressure to convince Israel to abandon this path.”
A report by Ms Veldhoen on the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances is due to be debated by the Parliamentary Assembly on Wednesday 22 April, during its spring plenary session.