Foreign ministers from Pakistan and seven other Muslim-majority countries have strongly condemned Israel’s recently enacted law permitting the death penalty for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. They described the legislation as a dangerous escalation likely to exacerbate tensions in the region.
In a joint declaration, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates criticized what they termed Israel’s increasingly discriminatory policies. They warned that these measures reinforce a system of apartheid and violate the rights of Palestinians living under occupation.
The ministers emphasized that the new law represents a significant escalation, particularly due to its reportedly discriminatory application against Palestinian prisoners. They cautioned that such policies risk undermining stability across the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the statement expressed grave concern over the treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody, citing reports of abuse including torture, inhumane conditions, starvation, and denial of basic rights. These practices were described as part of a broader pattern of violations against Palestinians.
The foreign ministers reiterated their opposition to Israel’s aggressive and discriminatory actions targeting Palestinians and called for urgent measures to prevent further escalation on the ground. They urged the international community to intensify efforts to hold perpetrators accountable and to preserve regional stability.
This joint statement arrives amid ongoing regional tensions linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which continues to raise widespread humanitarian and security concerns globally.
In a significant development, Israel’s parliament approved the law on Monday, introducing capital punishment by hanging as the standard sentence for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank convicted of killing Israelis. The legislation was championed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who celebrated the vote, which passed 62 to 48.
Palestinian authorities condemned the law as a dangerous escalation, asserting that it seeks to legitimize extrajudicial killings under a legal guise while reinforcing Israeli control over occupied territories. Hamas warned the legislation sets a perilous precedent that threatens the safety of Palestinian detainees and called on international organizations such as the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to intervene.
Senior Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti criticized the law as indicative of an increasingly hardline stance within Israel’s political landscape and lamented the absence of effective international response.
Human rights organizations, including the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, denounced the measure as a breach of international humanitarian law. They warned that if left unchallenged, it could deepen impunity and erode global legal standards.
