When the Law Undermines Life — A Joint Call Grounded in International Law

We write as a joint Palestinian, Israeli, and international community committed to nonviolent resistance, in response to the Israeli Knesset’s approval of a law enabling the execution of Palestinian prisoners.

Our opposition is grounded not only in moral conviction, but in international law and widely recognized human rights standards.

The use of the death penalty, particularly in contexts of prolonged occupation and systemic inequality, raises grave legal and ethical concerns.

International human rights law – including the principles enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) – places strict limitations on the use of capital punishment, and the global legal trend is unmistakably toward its abolition.

Where it has not yet been abolished, it is restricted to the most exceptional circumstances and must meet the highest standards of due process and fairness – standards that are deeply contested under conditions of occupation.

Moreover, international humanitarian law requires the protection of all persons under occupation and prohibits measures that undermine fundamental rights, including the right to life and the guarantees of a fair trial.

The application of such a law in a context marked by unequal legal systems and longstanding structural discrimination raises serious concerns regarding discriminatory enforcement and the erosion of legal safeguards.

We believe that legislating execution in this context does not advance justice or security. Rather, it risks entrenching cycles of violence and undermining the rule of law itself. Justice, under international standards, must be grounded in accountability, proportionality, and the inherent dignity of every human being.

As a joint movement, we affirm a different path – one rooted in nonviolence, equality before the law, and full adherence to international legal frameworks.

True security cannot be achieved through punitive escalation, but through addressing root causes: ending occupation, ensuring equal protection under the law, and upholding the human rights of all people without discrimination.

We call on the international community, legal institutions, and human rights bodies to carefully examine this legislation and its implications under international law, and to act in accordance with their mandates to protect fundamental rights.

At a time when legal systems are being tested, the responsibility is clear:
to ensure that law remains a safeguard for life, not a justification for its taking.