Israel’s parliament on Monday pushed through two highly controversial bills: one that expands the use of the death penalty for people convicted of terrorism-related crimes and another that gives the government broad powers to shut down foreign media outlets without judicial approval.
The death penalty proposal, championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, passed its first reading with 39 votes in favor and 16 against. The bill now goes to a parliamentary committee for further scrutiny before its second and third reading.
Ben Gvir, who insists the measure would serve as a strong deterrent against terrorism, had threatened to withdraw his party from the coalition if the bill was not introduced. Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously opposed the legislation over fears it could endanger Israeli hostages held in Gaza, he has since changed his position following the establishment of a fragile ceasefire.
The death penalty in Israel is currently only allowed in exceptional circumstances, such as treason and Nazi-era war crimes, and has not been applied in decades. The only execution in the country was that of Adolf Eichmann in 1962, after his capture and trial for his role in the Holocaust.
The new bill also introduces changes to the military court system in the occupied West Bank, allowing judges to impose the death penalty by simple majority rather than unanimous decision. Eliminates consideration of mitigating circumstances during sentencing. Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to military law, while Israeli settlers are governed by civil law.
The UN has consistently criticized Israel’s military courts, citing long-standing violations of Palestinians’ rights to a fair trial and highlighting the concentration of judicial and law enforcement functions within the Israeli military structure.
In the same session, lawmakers introduced another controversial bill that would allow the government to shut down foreign media outlets without a court order.
The legislation, linked to what has been called the “Al Jazeera Law”, seeks to formalize powers used in 2024 to close the Qatari network’s operations in Israel. At the time, the Communications Ministry accused Al Jazeera of reporting against Israel and supporting Hamas through its coverage of the Gaza conflict, accusations the network has firmly rejected.
Several Al Jazeera journalists reporting from Gaza have been killed by Israeli forces in the past two years, further fueling criticism of Israel’s approach to press freedom.
The new bill, introduced by Likud lawmaker Ariel Kallner and backed by Netanyahu’s coalition, would make these shutdown powers permanent and eliminate judicial oversight entirely, even outside of periods of war or national emergency.
Press freedom advocates have condemned the move. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described it as “the first nail in the coffin of the editorial independence of broadcast media in Israel.” RSF editorial director Anne Bocandé warned that, amid the ongoing conflict and upcoming elections, such laws could silence critical voices and have long-term detrimental effects on Israel’s media landscape.