Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz (Likud) told Israel's Kan radio he supports Minister Ben Gvir's death penalty bill for terrorists and backs applying it to the Palestinian who killed an Israeli civilian in Binyamin (Judea and Samaria). Katz said the incident meets the bill's criteria and expressed hope the High Court would not block it.
Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz (Likud) voiced support on Tuesday for the death penalty bill advanced by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, stating that the recent murder attack in the Binyamin region of Judea and Samaria fits the bill's criteria 'one to one.' Katz joined Otzma Yehudit's request to apply the law to the Palestinian terrorist arrested for the killing. The endorsement comes two days after a series of moves by Ben Gvir to push for the law's implementation in the wake of the Yom Kippur terror attack.
On Sunday Sep 20, at 15:15 Jerusalem, Ben Gvir released a video calling for immediate execution of the terrorist. Earlier that day, The Zioneer reported that Ben Gvir requested a narrow cabinet meeting with the Military Advocate General to examine the death penalty's application. In a pre-Yom Kippur security discussion, Ben Gvir raised the issue, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed interest, requesting an IDF assessment on feasibility. Netanyahu did not rule out applying the law and ordered a further discussion with the MAG present. Participants noted the case is the first to meet the law's criteria, as reported at 15:15 Jerusalem.
The death penalty bill, which would mandate capital punishment for convicted terrorists, passed a preliminary Knesset reading earlier this year. The push follows the murder of an Israeli civilian in Binyamin, which sparked widespread calls for harsher measures.
What remains open: Katz expressed hope the High Court of Justice would not block the law's application. The MAG's legal guidance and a further cabinet discussion—ordered by Netanyahu and expected in the coming days—could determine the next steps.
5 developments
- DevelopingBen-Gvir says he would be very happy to carry out death sentence for a terrorist
- StrongNetanyahu: Death penalty law for terrorists may be applied for first time in wake of Ma'ayan attack
- DevelopingCoalition chair warns Red Cross bill will collapse without opposition support
- StrongNetanyahu dispatches Coalition Chair Katz to craft agreed legislative package with coalition leaders
Source and signal
- Open-source intake