Israeli parliament to vote on death penalty bill

Legislation imposing death penalty on convicted Palestinians aims to prevent ‘prisoner swaps’, says defence minister

Speaking to an Israeli TV channel, Avigdor Liberman said voting to advance legislation targeting convicted Palestinians of attacking Israeli civilians and soldiers would take place Wednesday.

“The US also has such legislation. Thus, it’s appropriate for Israel to follow such a powerful democratic system in the world,” Liberman said.

Lieberman said convicted Palestinians were being used for prisoner exchanges.

“Every convicted terrorist is used by terrorist organizations kidnapping civilians and soldiers for prisoner swaps,” he said.

The draft bill needs to be voted on in three rounds in order to be approved by parliament.

Israel does not have the death penalty, but convicts may face prison sentences of hundreds of years.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier this year that it is time to impose the death penalty on Palestinians that attack Israelis.

“The death penalty for terrorists – it’s time to implement it in severe cases,” he said in a video posted in July on his Twitter account.