New Yisrael Beytenu MK submits legislation mandating death penalty for terrorists

On first day of new Knesset, lawmakers propose bills to annex West Bank, shorten coalition talks, curb rent hikes.

By LAHAV HARKOV
SHARON GAL (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
SHARON GAL
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Death penalty for terrorists will increase deterrence against terrorism, MK Sharon Gal (Yisrael Beytenu) said, submitting a bill to that effect on his first day as a lawmaker on Tuesday.
The current law gives judges an option of sentencing a terrorist to death, but only if there is a consensus between all the judges presiding over a case.
Gal’s proposal would apply to Israel within the Green Line, Judea and Samaria, would allow a majority of judges presiding on a case to decide on the death penalty, and would not allow a major-general to change the sentence (the latter applies only to West Bank residents).
“We promised, and we are determined to fulfill the promise,” Gal said after submitting the bill. “We have to change the reality and eradicate terrorism. Death penalty will strengthen Israel’s deterrence.”
According to Gal, the legislation is “the moral way to protect the lives of our citizens.”
MK Stav Shaffir (Zionist Union) also submitted a bill on the Knesset’s first day, one which would limit the amount landlords can increase rent and set standards for a livable apartment.
Shaffir recounted that she and MKs Hilik Bar (Zionist Union) and Orly Levy-Abecasis (Yisrael Beytenu) convinced the last government to adopt a version of the legislation, but it was not passed into law because the election was called.
MK Motti Yogev (Bayit Yehudi) showed his frustration with the coalition-building process by proposing a bill that would limit negotiations to only 21 days, with no extension. Currently, the MK tasked with forming a government has 28 days to do so, and can ask the president for an extension of 14 days.
Yogev also submitted 10 bills that would apply Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank, with each piece of legislation applying to a different geographical area, as well as five other bills that he had already proposed in the previous Knesset.
MK Dov Henin (Joint List) also submitted several bills, including one raising minimum wage to NIS 30 per hour.