[Michigan, April 1, 2026]
The American Human Rights Council (AHRC USA) strongly condemns the Israeli Knesset’s adoption of the “Death Penalty” law on March 30, 2026. The legislation mandates capital punishment exclusively for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks, a move widely denounced by international human rights organizations and United Nations experts.
AHRC views this development as a dangerous escalation and a stark example of Israel’s self-proclaimed democracy operating in open defiance of international legal norms. The law was championed by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and other far right coalition members.
The new law applies only within Israeli military courts in the occupied West Bank courts that try Palestinians but not Israeli citizens. It excludes Jewish Israeli defendants entirely, creating what human rights groups describe as a two-tier legal system that entrenches systemic discrimination. Key provisions include mandatory death sentences, the elimination of pardon or commutation rights, and the use of military courts where Palestinians already face severe due process limitations.
The Israeli human rights group B’Tselem lobbied against this law noting that Palestinians that are tried in Israeli military trials have a 96% conviction rate. These convictions are based on confessions obtained using torture during interrogations.
UN experts and Amnesty International have stated that the law will “apply almost exclusively to Palestinians,” deepening what they describe as an apartheid like system of domination and segregation. Human Rights Watch notes that the measure reinforces a discriminatory legal structure that has long denied Palestinians equal protection under the law.
AHRC stresses that this legislation is not an isolated act but part of a long-standing pattern of Israeli policies marked by systemic discrimination, extrajudicial practices, and disregard for international humanitarian law. With continued unconditional U.S. political support, Israel has repeatedly acted above the global consensus and outside the framework of United Nations resolutions.
AHRC calls on the international community, human rights institutions, and global civil society to take urgent action to challenge this legislation and demand its repeal.
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AHRC Mission:
The American Human Rights Council (AHRC) is dedicated to defending and protecting human rights as outlined in the U.S. Constitution and the United Nations 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The AHRC was formed to protect these rights and advocate for anyone whose rights are being violated or denied. To that end, the AHRC will build a tenacious, objective, and carefully guided advocacy program that will serve to defend individual human rights, whenever and wherever they are being infringed upon. NGO in Consultative Status with the Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC)-United Nations
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NGO in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations