Eight nations denounce Israel’s new death penalty law
Shafaq News- Riyadh
The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkiye on Thursday strongly condemned Israel’s recent approval of a law authorizing the death penalty for Palestinian and Arab prisoners.
In a joint statement, the countries warned against deepening divisions and the undermining of Palestinian rights in the occupied territories, describing the legislation as a significant escalation.
They also cautioned that such measures could heighten tensions and weaken regional stability, pointing to the “dire conditions of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli facilities” and citing reports of alleged violations, including ill-treatment, deprivation of basic rights and other forms of abuse.
دان وزراء خارجية المملكة العربية السعودية والجمهورية التركية وجمهورية مصر العربية وجمهورية إندونيسيا والمملكة الأردنية الهاشمية وجمهورية باكستان الإسلامية ودولة قطر ودولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة بأشد العبارات سن سلطات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي لقانون صادق عليه الكنيست يجيز فرض عقوبة… pic.twitter.com/nwop1Go6ax
— وزارة الخارجية 🇸🇦 (@KSAMOFA) April 2, 2026
Earlier this week, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, approved a controversial bill mandating death by hanging as the default penalty for West Bank residents convicted of “deadly terrorist acts.”
Germany, France, Italy and Britain urged Israeli lawmakers to withdraw the bill, warning it could sharply increase the likelihood of executions being carried out in Israel. A statement from Germany’s Foreign Ministry expressed “deep concern” over what it described as the law’s discriminatory nature, adding that its adoption could undermine Israel’s commitments to democratic principles.
