Israel: Likud ministers split over death penalty for terrorists bill

Bill is due to be put before the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday

A bill introducing the death penalty for terrorists who murder Israelis, which has been put forth by the ultra-nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, has led to divisions within Israel's ruling Likud party, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

The bill, which was submitted by MK Sharon Gal is due to be put before the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday.

Gal posted on his Facebook and Twitter page a picture in which he is holding up a sign saying "I too support the death penalty for terrorists," calling on his supporters to follow his lead and upload similar pictures.

"The bill will be debated in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, and your support is critical," Gal wrote. "How can you help? Take a picture of yourself with the line, 'I also support the death penalty for terrorists.' Upload it here on and your own pages, in order to flood the Web and influence the ministers."

"We must change the reality and eradicate terrorism," Gal said in his post, adding that "the death penalty will increase Israel's deterrence. It is moral to legislate it in order to protect the lives of our citizens."

According to The Jerusalem Post, Science, Technology and Space Minister Danny Danon, who is also a member of the committee, was the only minister to say he would support the bill. Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, who is also the committee's interim chairman, intends to vote against the bill.

Habayit Hayehudi chairman Naftali Bennett also announced his support for the bill, saying "a murderous terrorist, like the murderers of the Fogels [five family members who were stabbed to death at their Itamar home in 2011], should know that his life ends when he ends life."

"It's moral and it's right," he wrote on his Facebook page, calling on opposition leader and head of the Zionist Union party Isaac Herzog and leader of the Yesh Atid partyYair Lapid to support the bill, "there is no difference between coalition and opposition on these issues," Bennett added.

In April former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and head of Yisrael Beitenu, said that the death penalty for terrorists was something his party would push for during his party's next tenure in the Knesset.

The death penalty already exists in Israel, for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes against the Jewish people and treason during times of war.

Adolf Eichmann is the only one to have been sentenced to death in Israel. He was executed in 1962.

Source: i24news.tv, June 10, 2015

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