Israel’s death penalty law has little to do with criminal justice and everything to do with ethno-nationalism

The vote to have death by hanging as the default for Palestinians guilty of killing Israelis represents the further entrenchment of a two-tier legal system.

By: Arie Perliger, UMass Lowell, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 7, 2026

Words: 1,221

Last Updated: 3 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Arie Perliger, UMass Lowell

In its nearly 80-year history, the state of Israel has carried out only one court-sanctioned execution: Adolf Eichmann, a principal architect of the Nazi holocaust.

But under a law passed by the Israeli parliament on March 30, 2026, that restraint has been thrown out the window.

Death by hanging will now become the default sentence for some offenses – but only in effect when the crime is …

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