Israeli Parliament Advances Death Penalty Bill Backed By Ben-Gvir. Israel’s parliament has advanced a controversial bill that would impose the death penalty on Palestinian militants convicted of killing Israeli citizens. The proposal, championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, passed its first vote 39 to 16 in the 120-seat Knesset. Ben-Gvir hailed the move as a way to deter “Arab terrorism,” declaring, “Once the law is finally passed — terrorists will be released only to hell.” The bill now heads to a parliamentary committee for further debate before two more votes, but its passage into law is not guaranteed. The Palestinian Liberation Organization condemned the measure as a “political, legal, and humanitarian crime,” while Hamas also denounced it. Israel abolished the death penalty for murder in 1954; the only person ever executed after a civilian trial was Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann in 1962. Critics, including Amnesty International, warned the bill would deepen discrimination against Palestinians and violate international human rights norms. The proposal follows the Gaza war, which killed more than 69,000 Palestinians, and amid ongoing debates in Israel over prisoner swaps and deterrence. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT