Israel Applies Death Penalty for Terrorists in Judea and Samaria
Following Defense Minister Israel Katz’s orders, IDF Central Command head Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth signed an amendment to the Judea and Samaria Security Directives Order implementing the Knesset-passed law applying the death penalty for terrorists in the region.
The law authorizes military courts to impose the death penalty on terrorists who carry out attacks and murder Jews. It reflects a broader policy shift following the October 7 massacre and is part of a central Otzma Yehudit campaign promise.
Under the amendment, the death penalty becomes the exclusive default punishment in military courts in Judea and Samaria for terrorists who intentionally cause death in terror attacks.
The legal procedure has also been changed. The death penalty will no longer depend on a request from the military prosecution, it will not require a unanimous ruling from the judges, a simple majority will be enough, and there will be no restriction on the rank of judges who can preside over such cases.
In addition, the regional IDF commander will not have authority to pardon or commute sentences. The law also prohibits the government from releasing terrorists sentenced to death or convicted of death-eligible crimes as part of prisoner exchange agreements.
Katz welcomed the move, saying, “The era of restraint is over. Terrorists who murder Jews will not sit in prison under comfortable conditions and will not wait for deals; they will pay the heaviest price by hanging. Immediately after the law was approved, I instructed the Israel Defense Forces to implement it fully in Judea and Samaria, and today we have turned the new policy into reality.”
Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said, “We promised, and we delivered. Against murderous terrorism, the State of Israel is changing the equation. We do not retreat, and we create a price that no terrorist will want to pay.”
