Spain’s PM labels Israel’s death penalty law ‘step towards apartheid’

MADRID — Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned as a "step towards apartheid" Monday's approval by the Israeli parliament of a law that would impose death sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks by military courts.

"It is an asymmetrical measure that would not apply to Israelis committing the same crimes. Same crime, different punishment. It's another step towards apartheid. The world cannot stay silent," Sanchez, one of the most vocal supporters of Palestinians among Western leaders, wrote on X on Tuesday.

Apartheid was the system of racial segregation enforced by South Africa's white minority governments in the second half of last century.

On Monday, Israel's parliament passed the law making death by hanging a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military courts of deadly attacks, fulfilling a pledge by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right allies.

Critics of the new Israeli law say that its language effectively confines those Israelis who can be sentenced to death to members of the country's 20% Arab minority, many of whom identify as Palestinian, and not to Jewish citizens.

Earlier, the European Commission said Israel's law was 'very concerning' and was "a clear step backwards" in terms of its commitment to democratic principles.

UN: Israel's death penalty law violates international law

The UN rights chief urged Israel to repeal the legislation, saying it violated international humanitarian law.

"It raises serious concerns about due process violations, is deeply discriminatory, and must be promptly repealed," Volker Turk said in a statement sent to reporters.

He said the law was inconsistent with Israel's legal obligations, citing the lack of opportunity for pardon and ordering executions to be carried out within 90 days.

Spain has been embroiled in a diplomatic standoff with Israel since Madrid's sharp criticism of the Israeli government during the 2023-25 Gaza war, which it labelled as genocide. Israel's officials have called Spain's stance antisemitic on several occasions.

The rift worsened this month after Spain's opposition to the US-Israel attacks on Iran, leading Madrid to permanently withdraw its ambassador to Israel on March 11.

Israel abolished the death penalty for murder in 1954. The only person executed in Israel after a civilian trial was Adolf Eichmann, an architect of the Nazi Holocaust, in 1962. — Reuters