RAMALLAH, January 3, 2018 (WAFA) – The European Union’s delegation to Israel Wednesday condemned death penalty saying it is "incompatible with human dignity". 

Following a preliminary approval on Wednesday by the Israeli Knesset for legislation that would make it easier for a court to impose a death sentence on Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis, the EU delegation to Israel said in a tweet that death penalty “constitutes inhuman and degrading treatment, does not have any proven deterrent effect and allows judicial errors to become irreversible and fatal.”

The motion was proposed by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, with 52 of the Knesset’s 120 members voting in favor and 49 opposing.

At the moment, the death penalty in Israel can only be imposed if a panel of three military judges passes sentence unanimously. However, if the amendment is adopted, a majority verdict would be sufficient to carry out the death penalty.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted in favor of the motion.

M.H.