The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, has passed a law that provides for the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis.
The bill's passage is considered a major victory for the Israeli far right, which has long been pushing for such a measure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was present in person in the parliament chamber and voted "yes."
The new law stipulates that the death penalty, carried out by hanging, will be the standard punishment for Palestinians from the occupied West Bank who are found guilty of murder.
At the same time, the law gives Israeli courts the right to impose either the death penalty or life imprisonment on Israeli citizens. The provision has no retroactive effect and will only apply to future cases.
The measure has been strongly condemned by Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations, which have called it racist, draconian and incapable of curbing attacks by Palestinian militants.
The law is expected to face legal challenges in the Israeli Supreme Court.
