Hyderabad, May 18 -- Israel has officially implemented a law allowing military courts in the occupied West Bank to hand down death sentences to Palestinian prisoners after a military order was signed by the commander of the Israeli army's Central Command.

Israeli media outlets Haaretz and Times of Israel reported that Major General Avi Blot approved the order on Sunday evening, May 17, bringing the legislation into effect across the occupied territory.

The measure applies to Palestinians accused of carrying out deadly attacks against Israelis for ideological reasons. The law allows judges to replace a death sentence with life imprisonment if exceptional circumstances are identified.

Knesset passed law on March 31

Israel's parliament a...