Parliament approves legislation establishing special military tribunal to try approximately 300 Palestinians accused of involvement in 2023 attacks.
10:46 AM
Israel's parliament has passed legislation establishing a special military tribunal with authority to impose the death penalty on Palestinians accused of involvement in the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas-led fighters.
The Knesset approved the bill Monday with 93 votes in favor and zero against. Of the parliament's 120 seats, 27 lawmakers were absent or abstained from the vote.
The legislation was jointly sponsored by Simcha Rothman of the far-right Religious Zionism Party and Yulia Malinovsky of the opposition Yisrael Beytenu party, an unusual bipartisan arrangement. Justice Minister Yariv Levin strongly backed the measure.
The special tribunal will have jurisdiction to prosecute approximately 300 Palestinians detained by Israeli security forces and accused of involvement in the October 7 attacks. The court is authorized to charge defendants with a range of offenses, including genocide as defined under Israel's 1950 Law for the Prevention of Genocide. Those convicted of genocide face the possibility of execution.
Under the new law, any person suspected of, charged with, or convicted of October 7 offenses cannot be released through prisoner exchange agreements.
Speaking ahead of the parliamentary votes, Malinovsky said: "May everyone see how the victims and their families look into the whites of the eyes of those murderers, rapists and kidnappers. May everyone see how the State of Israel is a sovereign state which knows how to hold those who harmed it to account."
Legal experts had previously warned that the legislation could result in Palestinians detained around the time of the October 7 attacks facing publicly broadcast trials and capital punishment.
The debate preceding the vote was marked by disruption, with one Israeli-Arab lawmaker accusing backers of the bill of "politically exploiting" the pain of bereaved families. Some individuals were removed from the public gallery following noisy interruptions during the proceedings.
Implementation of the law may face delays due to disagreements between Israel's Defense Ministry and other government bodies, according to reports.
Protesters gathered outside Red Cross offices in Gaza City on Monday to campaign against the new legislation.
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Two soldiers received 30 days military detention; six others faced separate action for failing to intervene.
Spanish-Palestinian and Brazilian activists detained after Israeli interception of humanitarian aid vessel will be freed Saturday and deported.
