Ben Gvir Just Tightened The Noose Around Israel’s Neck; Death Penalty Bill Leaves Netanyahu Exposed

Ben Gvir got his hanging law, but Israel has made itself harder to defend and dragged every ally still pretending otherwise deeper into the disgrace. Right, so Itamar Ben-Gvir has got his hanging law through the Knesset, Benjamin Netanyahu voted for it himself, what a way to prove both of them are in fact still alive and the first thing this has done is make Israel so much harder to defend in every capital still pretending there is some decent democratic core concerning this blatantly apartheid state, a hanging law after all that only applies to Palestinians. Any politician or media pundit denying that now is either wilfully stupid or bought and paid for. A majority of 62 Knesset members has backed a law that sets the death penalty as the default in military courts – which are the only courts Palestinians are tried through - for Palestinians convicted of terror-related murder, and allows life only in vague “special circumstances”, strips out the notion of pardon completely, and drives toward execution inside 90 days. Ben Gvir’s reaction? This. Then the smiling started. Then the drinks went up. Then the whole thing stopped looking like a grim act of state necessity, the darkest of laws being passed and this maniac and his ilk popped champagne corks. It looks like exactly what it is and I don’t apologise for showing that clip either, because if it makes your blood boil then good, it should. A far-right political trophy being waved about by men who think cruelty is strength and a legal spit polish can make it look respectable. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, ACRI – believe it or not, there is such a thing - has spelt the consequences of this out for Palestinians in very stark and straightforward terms, adding to a point I made a moment ago. Palestinians in the territories go through military courts. Israeli citizens, including settlers in the West Bank, go through civilian courts. The entire legal system was therefore an example of apartheid before this death penalty bill passed. In that military track, the death sentence is the default, hence it only applies to Palestinians. In the civilian track, the law is framed around intent to negate the existence of the state, which ACRI says means Jews will not in practice face this punishment, again nailing on the obvious apartheid here. That is not one justice system being applied equally.