Far-right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir published a video in which he boasts about the construction of a site where Palestinians convicted of "terror" offences will be executed by hanging – without including Jewish extremists accused of similar crimes.
According to the British newspaper The Guardian, Ben-Gvir, who has previously attracted international sanctions and condemnation for his activities, said the new execution site would be equipped with viewing booths for families of victims to watch the hangings.
Ben Gvir published the video on social media of a visit he made to the site (whose location was not disclosed) while photos published by Israeli media showed a bulldozer and construction work, said to be near a prison. The extremist minister was seen pointing to the foundation work, boasting that this is where "terrorists will be executed", as he described it.
The newspaper noted that Ben Gvir earlier this year celebrated his 50th birthday in a noose-themed cake.
“I promised to worsen the conditions of terrorists in prisons – we kept it,” said Ben-Gvir in the video. “I promised to pass the Death Penalty for Terrorists law – we did. And now the death row and hanging facility are also starting to take shape.”
The Guardian stated that reports about the construction of gallows – which will be used to execute Palestinians convicted of «terror» crimes in military courts only, not Jewish extremists – come after a new law was passed earlier this year.
The law obliges military courts to impose the death penalty as the only available punishment, unless the court finds special circumstances justifying a life sentence. Practically, Jewish Israelis are protected from the death penalty under a clause that limits the law's application to murders committed “with the intent to deny the existence of the State of Israel”.
It noted that Ben Gvir – who was previously convicted of incitement to racism, obstructing a police officer in the line of duty, and supporting the banned terrorist movement “Kach” – has served as Israel's National Security Minister since 2022, with the exception of a two-month hiatus last year.
Ben Gvir is considered one of the main drivers of Israel's new death penalty law and has a long history of extremist statements and provocative actions.
The death penalty law – one of two laws passed by Israeli lawmakers this year – has drawn widespread international condemnation since its approval in the Knesset by a majority of 62 votes to 48, due to criticism suggesting it is “discriminatory”.
Commenting on the law's approval, Erika Guevara-Rosas, a senior director at Amnesty International, said: “It also dismantles fundamental safeguards to prevent the arbitrary deprivation of life and protect the right to a fair trial, and further empowers Israel’s system of apartheid, which is maintained by scores of discriminatory laws against Palestinians,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, a senior director at Amnesty International, when the law was passed”.
In recent months, Ben Gvir has been sanctioned by France and Ireland, in addition to sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom last year. He also faced widespread criticism just a few days ago for calling for a policy of punitive killing in Gaza, at a rate of 30 to 40 people per night.
Ben Gvir said: “I think we should be doing 30 to 40 targeted assassinations per night ...There are people there who don’t deserve to live ... They are not even people”.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Wednesday described Ben Gvir's statements as «unacceptable and inhumane,» while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed strong condemnation of «Minister Ben Gvir's inhumane calls, which violate international law”.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also described Ben Gvir's statements as “appalling”, “outrageous”, “dehumanizing” and “dangerous”.
The video emerged amid growing wider international condemnation of Israel’s behavior, including the issuing of new tenders for the massive E1 settlement block outside Jerusalem, which was denounced by the UK foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, as an “unacceptable and destructive act” that risked separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem. He summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires in protest.
“The UK has been clear privately and publicly in our opposition to E1 and our support for a two-state solution as the only way to ensure long-term security and peace for both Palestinians and Israelis,” Miliband said. “All settlements damage that prospect and are a flagrant breach of international law.”
