Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has posted a video showing construction at a planned gallows complex that he says will be used to execute Palestinians convicted of terror offences in military courts.
The facility is being presented as part of Israel’s newly passed death penalty law. The law requires military courts to impose death as the sole sentence in qualifying cases, unless judges find special circumstances that permit life imprisonment.
What Ben-Gvir showed
In the video, recorded during a visit to an unidentified location, Ben-Gvir points to foundations and says the site is where “terrorists will be executed”. Photographs published in Israeli media showed a bulldozer and major construction work in a cordoned-off area reportedly near a prison.
Ben-Gvir said the complex would include viewing booths where families of victims could watch executions. He also said the construction fulfilled promises to worsen prison conditions for people he described as terrorists and to pass the death-penalty legislation.
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Who the law covers
The planned facility is intended for Palestinians convicted of terror offences through Israel’s military-court system. The source material says it will not apply to Israelis, including Jewish extremists accused of similar crimes.
The Knesset passed the death penalty law earlier this year by 62 votes to 48. Its provisions make execution the only available sentence in qualifying military-court cases, subject to the exception for special circumstances allowing life imprisonment.
International response
The law has faced widespread international condemnation over allegations that it is discriminatory and weakens safeguards protecting life and fair trial rights. Amnesty International senior director Erika Guevara-Rosas said when it passed that it further empowered Israel’s system of apartheid, which she described as being maintained through discriminatory laws against Palestinians.
More context: Israeli minister urges killing 30 to 40 Palestinians nightly in Gaza.
The video appeared amid further criticism of Ben-Gvir, including sanctions imposed by France and Ireland in addition to UK sanctions imposed the previous year. His recent call for 30 to 40 targeted killings in Gaza each night was condemned by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
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