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Australia’s prominent Jewish organization has voiced strong disapproval of Israel’s recent legislative move, which mandates the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks. The group criticized the measure for not delivering “equal justice.”
On Monday, the Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, passed a law stipulating that Palestinians in the West Bank found guilty of killing Israelis during what are deemed “terror acts” will face execution by hanging.
Hillel Newman, Israel’s ambassador to Australia, justified the new legislation during an address at the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday. He suggested that the geographical distance makes it challenging for nations like Australia to fully grasp Israel’s security concerns.
“People from distant countries often struggle to comprehend the threats we face,” Newman remarked.
“We exist in a challenging region,” he continued, “where some of our neighbors are determined to destroy the state of Israel and are committed to acts of terrorism.”
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), which has stood by Israel’s actions during its war in Gaza, said it held concern for the “discriminatory application” of the law passed by the Knesset.
“The act applies differential standards based on nationality alone,” a statement released by the group on Wednesday said.
“This falls well short of the principle of equal justice.
“Australia has a proud and consistent record of opposing the death penalty in all circumstances, for all people.”
The law mandates execution within 90 days of sentencing for Palestinians in the occupied territory, bans commutation of sentences and only permits life imprisonment in cases where “special reasons” are found.
The Jewish group said this provided “very limited judicial discretion” in cases heard by military courts.
“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,” the statement reads.
Israel’s ultra-nationalist Otzma Yehudit party’s campaign for the legislation represents a “troubling departure” from the principles that have guided Israeli law and Jewish tradition, ECAJ said.
Israel’s move has sparked widespread international condemnation, including from the United Nations and human rights groups.
Australia made a joint statement alongside France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in criticising the law.
Its “de-facto discriminatory character” was a worrying development that undermined Israel’s international standing, the statement said.
Law professor Ben Saul, a United Nations human rights expert, strongly criticised the laws.
“Israel must immediately repeal the discriminatory death penalty law passed today by the Knesset, as it contravenes Israel’s obligations under international law,” he said in a post on X.
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