Netanyahu backs death penalty bill for ‘terrorism’ suspects
PM Netanyahu is supporting a bill that would introduce the death penalty against those accused of “terrorism”, Israeli media is reporting, quoting Gal Hirsch, the country’s coordinator for the captives and the missing.
According to remarks delivered to the Knesset National Security Committee earlier today, Hirsch said he held a discussion with Netanyahu before the debate, and both agreed on introducing the new law.
Hirsch previously opposed the bill over fears it would create obstacles for the release of captives held in Gaza. But now that all living captives have returned, his opposition has become “redundant”, Israeli media reported. The committee is meeting today to deliberate on the bill.
The controversial legislation stipulated that judges will be able to impose the death penalty “on those who have committed a nationalistically motivated murder of a citizen of Israel… It would not apply to an Israeli who killed a Palestinian,” according to The Times of Israel.
Israeli authorities extend detention of army’s top lawyer over leaking rape video
Israeli authorities have extended the detention of Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalm and retired Colonel Matan Solomesh, the army’s former chief military prosecutor, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority has said.
The two were arrested earlier this week as part of an inquiry into the leak of a video showing Israeli soldiers assaulting a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman military prison in southern Israel.
Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned on Friday amid the uproar over who leaked the video.
The leaked video, published in August 2024, showed soldiers surrounding a handcuffed Palestinian detainee lying face down and beating him with riot shields. The detainee, whose identity was not released, was later hospitalised with severe injuries.
In February, military prosecutors charged five soldiers over the assault. The indictment says the soldiers beat the detainee after he was brought to the facility last July, causing multiple fractures and internal rectal tearing.
