Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has posted a social media video displaying the construction of an execution complex designed for carrying out death sentences on Palestinians convicted of terror-related crimes through military courts. The facility will include viewing areas for family members of victims to observe the proceedings.
The gallows construction follows the passage of a new death penalty law earlier this year that requires military courts to impose capital punishment as the mandatory sentence for certain offenses, with exceptions only in cases where courts determine special circumstances warrant life imprisonment instead. A provision in the legislation effectively shields Jewish Israelis from capital punishment by restricting its application to cases involving intent to deny the state’s existence, a threshold critics argue creates a system targeting Palestinians exclusively.
Ben-Gvir, who holds convictions for incitement to racism, police interference, and support for an outlawed extremist organization, has been a principal architect of the death penalty law. The Knesset approved the legislation by a vote of 62 to 48, prompting widespread global opposition from human rights organizations and governments. Amnesty International’s leadership characterized the law as fundamentally discriminatory and accused it of undermining protections against arbitrary execution and fair trial guarantees while reinforcing what the organization describes as systemic discrimination against Palestinians.
The gallows announcement came amid heightened international scrutiny of Ben-Gvir’s recent statements, during which he advocated for nightly targeted killings of 30 to 40 individuals in Gaza, describing some Palestinians as not deserving to live and questioning their humanity. These remarks triggered sanctions from France and Ireland, along with earlier penalties from the United Kingdom, and drew rebukes from multiple international leaders including the UN secretary general, who characterized the comments as appalling and dangerous.
The development coincides with broader criticism of Israeli policies, including the announcement of new settlement expansion tender applications in the E1 zone outside Jerusalem. British officials have condemned these actions as breaches of international law that threaten prospects for a two-state resolution.
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