Itamar Ben-Gvir promotes new hanging facility for Palestinians convicted of terror offences
Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has unveiled a new gallows complex designed to execute Palestinians convicted of terror offences in military courts. The facility, located near a prison in central Israel, will feature viewing booths allowing the families of victims to witness the executions. This initiative follows the passage of a new law that establishes the death penalty as the default sentence for Palestinian terrorists, while exempting Jewish Israelis from the penalty unless their crimes are intended to deny the existence of the state of Israel. The administration announced the construction of the death-row wing to fulfill a political promise to impose harsher conditions on security prisoners. While Ben-Gvir has championed the move as a way to make history and provide the harshest possible punishment, the project has drawn international criticism. Human rights groups and several nations have labeled the move as discriminatory and dehumanizing, with some critics arguing that the rhetoric surrounding the executions may provide ammunition to Israel's enemies.