New defense minister's death penalty demand would put Israelis at risk
The demand by incoming Minister of Defense Avigdor Liberman to impose the death penalty for terrorism convictions could destroy Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation and ignite a new intifada.
One of the terms set by Israel's incoming minister of defense, Avigdor Liberman, as a precondition for joining Benjamin Netanyahu's government was that Israel impose the death penalty for people convicted of terrorism. Liberman's party, Yisrael Beitenu, raised this as a banner issue before the March 2015 elections and again, even more fervently, following the recent wave of terrorism. Its argument, which has no basis whatsoever in fact, is that such a measure is necessary to deter attacks.
Sharon Gal, a former Yisrael Beitenu Knesset member who resigned after serving only six months, actually proposed legislation on this issue. His bill failed to pass in July 2015 due to Netanyahu’s adamant opposition to it. The prime minister put all his weight into opposing the law. Among the reasons he cited was the defense establishment’s argument that imposing the death penalty could aggravate the already sensitive relationship with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and lead to an unwelcome escalation in tensions. Netanyahu has since withdrawn his opposition. In fact, he retracted it at the start of the recent coalition negotiations with Liberman.
Meanwhile, Liberman has climbed high up a tree and turned the issue into a matter of principle. It seems that he wants to prove to his supporters, electorate and Israeli public opinion that he is interested in more than just a senior Cabinet portfolio in the Netanyahu government. He also wants to show that he has a deep concern for public safety and to establish a clear milestone for a firm Israeli policy against the Palestinians.
The return of the death penalty to the public agenda led former Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein to speak out for the first time since completing his tenure in January 2016. “It is impractical as a deterrent, since these are criminals who act from an ideological motive anyway and are not afraid to die,” Weinstein said in a May 19 interview with Haaretz. “Furthermore, it’s immoral.”
