Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has demanded for Palestinian jail prisoners to be executed, the Palestinian News Agency WAFA reported. Further, in a June 30 video statement, aired originally by Middle East Monitor, Ben-Gvir said, in responding to a question about prison conditions, that Israel should kill Palestinian prisoners with a “shot to the head.” He replied sarcastically, saying that he is tired of being asked to decide whether jailed Palestinian should get fruit baskets and that it were better to shoot them in the head.
Previously, he has demanded the passage of a bill in the Knesset introduced by his “Jewish Power” (Otzma Yehudit) party, to execute Palestinian prisoners who have been convicted of killing Israelis. The Knesset’s General Assembly approved the preliminary reading of the bill in early March 2023. The proposed law, which requires two more readings in the Knesset to become a law, mandates courts to impose the death penalty on Palestinians who are convicted of “committing a murder offense motivated by racism and intending to harm the State of Israel.” Ben-Gvir said that, until the law is enacted and the executions can begin, such prisoners should get just enough food to keep them alive.
