Islamic states Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Indonesia condemn Israel over death penalty law

In a joint statement, Islamic nations including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Indonesia condemned Israel's new death penalty law for Palestinians.

Published on: Apr 2, 2026, 16:30:42 IST

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Islamic nations including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Indonesia lambasted Thursday the approval of a death penalty bill for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, saying the move threatens "regional stability".

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Indonesia warned of heightened tensions and instability in the region after the approval of a death penalty bill for Palestinians. (REUTERS)

The statement was released by foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

"This legislation constitutes a dangerous escalation, particularly given its discriminatory application against Palestinian prisoners, and stressed that such measures risk further exacerbating tensions and undermining regional stability," the joint statement read.

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Under the law passed by Israel's parliament late on Monday, Palestinians convicted by military courts of carrying out deadly attacks classified as "acts of terrorism" will face the death penalty.

The law has been criticised by the United Nations and European Union, while the United States came out in support of "Israel's sovereign right to determine its own laws".

Almost all of the countries which signed the statement enforce the death penalty at home, including Saudi Arabia which executed 356 people alone in 2025.

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Under the new law, Palestinians in the West Bank convicted by military courts of carrying out deadly attacks classified as "terrorism" will face the death penalty as a default sentence.

Because Palestinians in the territory are automatically tried in Israeli military courts, the measure effectively creates a separate and harsher legal track.

In Israeli civilian courts, the law allows for either death or life imprisonment for those convicted of killing with intent to harm the state.

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Israel has applied the death penalty only twice: in 1948, shortly after the state's founding, against a military captain accused of high treason, and then in 1962, when Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann was hanged.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and violence there has soared since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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