Ben-Gvir Demands Death Penalty for Terrorist in First Test of New Law

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is demanding the death penalty be applied for the first time under a new law to a terrorist who carried out a deadly attack in the Benjamin region on the eve of Yom Kippur. Ben-Gvir raised the demand during a limited cabinet meeting held shortly before the start of the Jewish fast day.

The terrorist, identified as a 37-year-old Hamas operative from the Bir Zeit area, was apprehended alive after shooting and killing Natanel Shkaron, 40, near the settlement of Neve Tzuf. Shkaron was at a spring with his son to immerse himself before Yom Kippur when the attack occurred. The terrorist abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot but was later located and arrested, wounded, in a Ramallah hospital by IDF forces.

During the cabinet meeting, ministers were informed that the military court system and the Military Advocate General are responsible for initiating the process, and no active government decision is required for the law to be applied. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported holding a further discussion to examine measures that would ensure the law's implementation.

Ben-Gvir stated, "This is the first case where it is possible to implement the death penalty law for terrorists. In this case, there is a mandatory sentence, and therefore we demand to apply this sentence and implement the execution of the terrorist. The law is the law, this is the law we passed, this is the law that allows the execution of the terrorist, and this is the opportunity."

The application of the law faces a legal challenge, as a petition against it was filed with the High Court of Justice by MK Gilad Kariv and the Zulat Institute shortly after its enactment. The petition argues the law is overly broad, particularly its mandatory sentence provision and changes made during its final legislative stages. Legal experts note that mandatory death sentences are uncommon in democratic nations, and distinctions in the law targeting only terrorists who murdered Jews could face legal scrutiny due to potential discrimination, especially given the irreversible nature of the death penalty.