Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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January 2, 2026 Human rights
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on Israeli authorities to abandon plans to adopt legislation that would mandate the death penalty exclusively for Palestinians, both in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Israel. According to Türk, such proposals violate international law on a number of counts.
Amendments submitted to the Israeli Knesset would lower the threshold for the death penalty. They raise serious concerns among human rights activists regarding discrimination against Palestinians and violations of their rights to due process, as well as other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.
"Regarding the death penalty, the position of the United Nations is very clear: it opposes it under all circumstances," Türk noted. "Such punishment is inconsistent with respect for human dignity and creates an unacceptable risk of executing innocent people."
The High Commissioner added that such proposals were incompatible with Israel's obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Turk noted that the wording of the proposed legislation, as well as statements by Israeli politicians, indicate that it will apply only to Palestinians, who are already frequently convicted in unfair trials.
The proposed changes, if adopted, would also amend military law applicable to the occupied West Bank and require military courts to impose the mandatory death penalty for all crimes involving intentional murder.
The High Commissioner recalled that denying any Palestinian from the West Bank or Gaza Strip the guarantees of a fair trial enshrined in the Fourth Geneva Convention constitutes a war crime.
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