Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir Announces Construction of Execution Center

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has released a video on social media showing the construction site of a center where Palestinians convicted of terrorism will be executed by hanging. In the video, Ben Gvir points to the foundations of the facility and states that it will include observation booths so that victims of crimes can watch the executions, comparing the setup to practices in the United States. The announcement follows the passage of a law by the Knesset that establishes the death penalty as the standard sentence for Palestinians convicted of lethal attacks in military courts. This law does not apply to Israeli citizens, who are tried in civil courts. The legislation allows for life imprisonment in special circumstances, a provision included at the request of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to mitigate international backlash. The UN and Amnesty International have criticized the law, stating that it violates international law and dismantles safeguards for fair trials. Ben Gvir, a leader of the far right Otzma Yehudit party, has a history of convictions for racism and support for the banned Kach movement. He has previously advocated for punitive killings in Gaza, which led to condemnation from the UN Secretary General and foreign ministers from France and Germany. Reports indicate the execution facility is being built near a prison, though the exact location remains unidentified.