New York, May 1 -- The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has warned that Israel's newly adopted "Death Penalty for Terrorists Law" represents a "grave retrogression" in human rights protections and could institutionalize racial discrimination against Palestinians.
In a strongly worded statement issued under its Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure, the Committee urged Israel to "immediately repeal the law," saying it undermines fundamental principles of equality and due process.
The Committee expressed alarm that the law mandates death by hanging as the default sentence for cases involving an "act of terrorism" before Israeli military courts. Those courts have exclusive jurisdiction over Palestinian...