A statement for immediate release
Issued by Human rights and Democracy Media Center “SHAMS”
On the Israeli government’s intention to submit a draft bill Knesset seeking death penalty for Palestinians.
“SHAMS” center strongly warns of the consequences of introducing a new law to execute Palestinians on the pretext that they are terrorists. In an inciting step and in a blatant violation of the international humanitarian law, Israeli coalition parties agreed to submit a draft bill to the Knesset enabling capital punishment for Palestinians, as requested by Israeli war minister Avigdor Lieberman. Knesset Member, Robert Ilatov described the coalition agreement as ” a historic day for Israel”, ignoring the international humanitarian law and the human rights law.
“SHAMS” center condemn this step and all Israeli occupation’s crimes against Palestinian citizens in the occupied territories and demand Israel to meet its obligations toward the Palestinian people as an occupying power in accordance of Geneva conventions, in particular the third and fourth ones of 1949. The Israeli occupation has made the killing of Palestinians its first choice, as proved by the daily crimes of the occupation against the Palestinians, every day the photographers and eyewitnesses document the execution of a number of Palestinian citizens by the Israeli soldiers from zero distance, which prove that Israel is the only country in the world that carries out extrajudicial executions.
“SHAMS” center emphasizes resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 2007 and 2008, which are 149/62 and 168/63 that calls for imposing prohibition of executing Death penalty. Since then, regional authorities and civil society coalitions have adopted resolutions and statements asking for prohibiting the execution of the death sentences as the initial step toward a universal abolition of the death penalty. Despite the fact that the two resolutions are not legally binding for government but, represent the cornerstones for the movement which calls for the abolition of the death penalty, and the continuous efforts toward the entire exception of the death penalty in the International Law.
The center also stresses the resolution no. A/RES/69/186 on 19/12/2014 in which the General Assembly called upon States that still maintain the death penalty to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing it, indicating that the view toward the abolition of the death penalty is irreversible. The resolution was supported by the majority states and was passed with a record 117 votes in favour, 38 against, 34 abstention and four absent.
“End”