....Palestine Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Tamer Almassri
Staff Writer
The Embassy of the State of Palestine in Zimbabwe, has condemned the decision by Israeli law makers who have passed a law to execute Palestine prisoners.
In a statement, Palestine Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Tamer Almassri said the move is a violation of international humanitarian law and principles of justice.
“The Embassy of the State of Palestine condemns and rejects the Israeli Knesset’s passage of legislation permitting the execution of Palestinian prisoners,”said Dr Almassri.
“This law represents a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and a grave assault on the fundamental principles of justice and a clear breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention, specifically regarding the protections of individuals and the right to a fair trial, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),” he added.
Dr Almassri said the move by the Israel parliament is a tool of political persecution and a catalyst of a war crime against Palestine people.
“This law functions as a tool of political persecution and constitutes a war crime against the Palestinian people under international jurisdiction. It is a continuation of escalating Israeli policies across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. This decision is a clear attempt by the occupation to legitimize extrajudicial killings—a reflection of moral depravity that violates all universal human values.
“Such measures will not break the will of the Palestinian people nor undermine their steadfastness in the legitimate struggle for freedom, independence, and the establishment of a sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital,”he said.
Dr Almassri called upon the international community to halt the implementation of this draconian law.
“The State of Palestine calls upon the international community to uphold its legal and humanitarian responsibilities by halting the implementation of this illegal legislation, holding Israeli authorities accountable for systematic violations against detainees and implementing sanctions in response to the ongoing practice of torture and extrajudicial killing within the Israeli prison system,”he said.
Israel’s parliament recently passed a law making the death penalty a default sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks in military courts. The law, championed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, allows for execution by hanging within 90 days of sentencing, with some flexibility for delay but no right to clemency. However, critics argue this law is discriminatory, as it targets Palestinians while excluding Jewish extremists. The law faces legal challenges in Israel’s Supreme Court, and international condemnation, including from the UN and human rights groups, citing violations of international law and human rights.