Jerusalem: Israel's newly adopted death penalty law perpetuates racial discrimination against Palestinians and amounts to a grave erosion of human rights, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) said Friday. CERD expressed alarm about the law's mandates and urged Israel to immediately repeal it.

According to Anadolu Agency, CERD highlighted that the law grants exclusive jurisdiction over Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory while explicitly excluding Israeli citizens and residents from its application. The Committee emphasized that the law effectively applies only to Palestinians, prohibiting mitigation, commutation, or pardon of the death penalty and setting a 90-day deadline for executions once a final judgment is rendered.

CERD called on the state party to ensure that all Palestinian detainees in Israeli military or civilian detention are guaranteed equal treatment before the law, security of person, protection against violence or bodily harm, and access to justice. The statement also urged Israel to end policies and practices that result in racial discrimination and segregation of Palestinians.

The Committee appealed to all states parties to fulfill their obligations under the Convention and ensure their resources are not used to enforce or support discriminatory policies against Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The Israeli Knesset passed the law in late March, designating the death penalty as the default punishment for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of lethal attacks against Israelis. The law stipulates that executions be carried out by hanging, with anonymity and legal immunity granted to those involved.

The legislation mandates transferring those sentenced to death to special detention facilities and restricting visits to authorized parties, while meetings with lawyers are limited to video communication. It allows courts to issue death sentences without a request from prosecutors and does not require a unanimous decision, permitting rulings by a simple majority.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The law also applies to military courts handling cases involving Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and grants the defense minister the right to present an opinion before the court.