Jewish groups’ concerns over Israel death penalty law
'Capital punishment has not been practised under Jewish law for many centuries — a reflection of deeply held values about the sanctity of life and the limits of human judgement'
Australia’s peak Jewish organisations have expressed concern over Israel’s new death penalty law, saying it departs from Jewish legal tradition and applies discriminatory standards based on nationality.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry and Zionist Federation of Australia issued statements on Wednesday regarding the Death Penalty for Terrorists law, which passed the Knesset 62-48 on Monday.
The law mandates death by hanging as the default punishment for terrorists in the West Bank convicted of deadly terrorist acts by military courts, with execution to be carried out within 90 days of sentencing. The legislation was championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party.
ECAJ said it stood in unwavering solidarity with Israel but expressed concerns from “this place of solidarity — and not in opposition to it”.
“Capital punishment has not been practised under Jewish law for many centuries — a reflection of deeply held values about the sanctity of life and the limits of human judgement,” ECAJ said.
comments