JERUSALEM, April 2, 2026 (WAFA) – International human rights and humanitarian organizations have called on the European Union to take urgent action against a recently approved Israeli law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners.
The appeal came in a joint statement issued by 31 international organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which expressed strong opposition to the law passed by the Israeli Knesset allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners.
The organizations said they were deeply shocked by the Knesset’s decision on legislation that would make the death penalty mandatory in the West Bank and apply exclusively to Palestinians.
They stressed that although the law does not explicitly mention ethnicity or nationality, it is effectively designed to target Palestinians.
The groups noted that the European Union consistently views the death penalty as cruel and inhumane, incompatible with human dignity under all circumstances, adding that the new Israeli law violates internationally recognized safeguards protecting those facing capital punishment.
They further stated that the discriminatory nature of the law and the lack of fair trial guarantees constitute violations of the right to life and of international humanitarian and human rights law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Hague Regulations, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention Against Torture.
The organizations also pointed out that efforts by the European Union and its member states to urge Israel to change its policies have so far failed. A review conducted by the EU in June last year concluded that Israel had breached its human rights obligations due to serious violations committed against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
The statement concluded by urging the European Union to uphold its principles and legal commitments by, at a minimum, suspending the trade component of the EU-Israel Association Agreement as an urgent measure, along with implementing other steps previously proposed by Ursula von der Leyen in September 2025.
Earlier this week, the Israeli Knesset approved the law in its second and third readings, with 62 members voting in favor, 48 against, and one abstention, a move that has sparked widespread condemnation and international outrage.
M.N
