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Ramallah: The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed the statement issued by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at the conclusion of its 117th session, which addressed the Israeli Knesset's law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners, adopted on March 30, 2026.
The ministry said the statement reflects growing international consensus on the seriousness of this "racist legislation," which constitutes a dangerous escalation in Israel's system of discriminatory laws and policies against the Palestinian people. It noted that the law specifically targets Palestinians and reinforces a discriminatory justice system.
The ministry stressed the committee's position that imposing the death penalty, particularly in the absence of fair trial guarantees and under military courts constitutes a clear violation of the right to life under international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and represents a serious breach of human rights standards.
It also praised the committee's call for Israel to immediately repeal the law and end all discriminatory policies and practices against Palestinians, ensuring that prisoners and detainees are granted their full rights, including fair trial guarantees and protection from torture and inhumane treatment.
The ministry further called on the international community and states parties to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination to fulfill their legal and moral obligations, including not recognizing unlawful situations and not assisting in their continuation, and to take concrete measures to stop these violations and hold Israel accountable.
