I. Ben Gvir visited on Tuesday the site where terrorists sentenced to death for murder will be hanged. The location, where construction work is currently underway, is in central Israel. Its exact location is not disclosed.
A special wing will be set up at the site, where terrorists sentenced to death will be transferred to await hanging. As stated, the gallows will be installed there, arranged in the center of the wing.
Observation booths will allow surviving victims and their families to watch the process. Speaking about the observation booths, the politician noted that this is common in other countries, including the United States.
Although many, but not all, terrorists carrying out attacks in Israel are killed by security forces during the attack, I. Ben Gvir said that those who survive will meet their fate at the site behind him.
“We are making history,” he declared. “Terrorists deserve only one thing: death by hanging.”
With the elections scheduled for October 27 approaching, the national security minister addressed his voters in a video, emphasizing that he has fulfilled his election promises.
“I promised to worsen the conditions for terrorists in prisons – we have kept this promise,” the politician said in the video. “I promised to pass the Death Penalty Law for terrorists – we did that. And now the place for carrying out the death penalty and the gallows are also beginning to take shape.”
“The Guardian” noted one fact – only Palestinians will end up on the gallows, as such a penalty is not provided for Jews convicted of the same crimes.
Reports about the construction of the gallows complex, where death sentences will be carried out only for Palestinians convicted by military courts of terrorist crimes, and not for Jewish extremists, appeared after the new law was passed earlier this year.
This law requires military courts to apply the death penalty as the only possible punishment unless the court determines special circumstances allowing for life imprisonment.
Israelis are essentially protected from the death penalty by the provision that it is imposed only in cases where the crime is committed “to deny the existence of the State of Israel.”
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I. Ben Gvir, who himself has been convicted of inciting racism, obstructing police officers, and supporting the terrorist organization (“Kach” movement), has served as Israel’s national security minister since 2022, except for a two-month break last year.
He is also one of the main initiators of Israel’s new death penalty law. And he has long been known for extremist rhetoric and provocations, “The Guardian” recalled.
An interesting detail: in May, he celebrated his 50th birthday, during which he received a cake decorated with a glazed noose image as a gift.
Caused a wave of criticism
The death penalty law, one of two passed by Israeli parliamentarians this year, received widespread condemnation from the international community, as it was passed in the Knesset by 62 votes to 48, despite accusations that it is essentially discriminatory.
“It also removes key safeguards designed to prevent arbitrary deprivation of life and protect the right to a fair trial, and further entrenches Israel’s apartheid system, supported by numerous discriminatory laws against Palestinians,” complained Amnesty International senior director Erika Guevara-Ros when the law was passed.
“There are those who do not deserve to live”
Recently, I. Ben-Gvir was sanctioned by France and Ireland. Last year, the United Kingdom announced sanctions against the politician.
Just a few days ago, he caused a stir by stating that punitive killings should be carried out in the Gaza Strip, under which 30–40 people would be killed overnight.
“I think we should carry out 30–40 targeted killing operations per night,” he said. “Not only those who pose a direct threat. There are people there who do not deserve to live… They are not even people.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Wednesday called Ben-Gvir’s comments “unacceptable and inhumane,” while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that he strongly condemns “Minister Ben-Gvir’s inhumane calls that violate international law.”
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