Ben Gvir Calls for Death Penalty for Terrorists

By Hamodia Staff

YERUSHALAYIM — In the wake of the horrific killings of seven Israelis last Shabbos in Neve Yaakov, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has reaffirmed his commitment to pursue the death penalty for terrorists convicted of murder.

“Anyone who murders, harms and slaughters civilians should be sent to the electric chair. Soon we will introduce the death penalty law for terrorists, those who massacre civilians should get the electric chair,” he told his Otzma Yehudit party’s Monday faction meeting in the Knesset.

Although the death penalty exists in Israeli law, it has only been carried out once, in the case of Nazi mass murderer Adolph Eichmann in 1962.

Addressing critics who say they are waiting for him to act more effectively than his predecessors, he said: “The terror attack happened on my watch. I’m not shirking responsibility.

“I asked the police to prepare a list of targets and gather intelligence. For me, the solution is to move from neighborhood to neighborhood” to collect weapons, “but if at the moment we are prevented from doing so, then we will definitely make a list of targets and intelligence, because this is our number one task, to collect the weapons,” he said, adding that legal considerations have so far blocked the way.

“Due to differences of opinion with the professional authorities, we are still in discussion but are not exhausting this ability, but I have instructed the police to act decisively,” said Ben-Gvir.