Israel’s Ben-Gvir posts video of gallows site for hanging Palestinians

Far-right minister says those convicted in military courts of terror offences will be executed after passing of death penalty law that does not apply to Jewish extremists

Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has posted a gloating video of the construction of a gallows complex where Palestinians convicted of terror offences – but not Jewish extremists accused of similar crimes – will be hanged.

Ben-Givr, who has previously attracted international sanctions and condemnation for his activities, said the new execution site would be equipped with viewing booths for families of victims to watch the hangings.

He posted the video on social media of a visit he had made to the unidentified location, where he can be seen pointing at foundations being laid and boasting it was where “terrorists will be executed”.

Photographs in the Israeli media showed a bulldozer and heavy construction work in a cordoned-off area, reportedly close to a prison.

“I promised to worsen the conditions of terrorists in prisons – we kept it,” said Ben-Gvir in the video. “I promised to pass the Death Penalty for Terrorists law – we did. And now the death row and hanging facility are also starting to take shape.”

Reports of the construction of the gallows, which will execute only Palestinians convicted of terror offences in the military courts system, and not Jewish extremists, follows the passage of a new law earlier this year. The law requires military courts to apply the death penalty as the only available sentence, unless the court finds special circumstances allowing for life imprisonment.

Jewish Israelis are in effect protected from the death penalty by a provision that applies the law only to murder committed with the “intent to deny the existence of the state of Israel”.

Ben-Gvir, who himself has convictions for incitement to racism, interfering with a police officer performing his duty, and support for a terrorist organisation (Meir Kahane’s banned Kach movement), has served as Israel’s national security minister since 2022 except for a two-month gap last year.

One of the main drivers of Israel’s new death penalty law, Ben-Gvir has a long history of extremist statements and provocations. He celebrated his 50th birthday in May with the gift of a birthday cake decorated with the iced image of a noose.

The death penalty law, one of two passed by Israeli MPs this year, has drawn widespread international condemnation since it passed the Knesset by 62 votes to 48 over allegations that it is fundamentally discriminatory.

“It also dismantles fundamental safeguards to prevent the arbitrary deprivation of life and protect the right to a fair trial, and further empowers Israel’s system of apartheid, which is maintained by scores of discriminatory laws against Palestinians,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, a senior director at Amnesty International, when the law was passed.

Ben-Gvir in recent months became the subject of sanctions by France and Ireland in addition to UK sanctions imposed on him last year, attracted widespread criticism only days ago for advocating a policy of punitive killings in Gaza of 30-40 people a night.

“I think we should be doing 30 to 40 targeted assassinations per night,” Ben-Gvir said. “Not just those who pose an immediate threat. There are people there who don’t deserve to live  … They are not even people.”

The French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, on Wednesday called Ben-Gvir’s comments “unacceptable and inhuman”, while the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said he strongly condemned “the inhumane appeals made by minister Ben-Gvir, which violate international law”.

The UN secretary general, António Guterres, ecalled Ben-Gvir’s comments “appalling”, “outrageous”, “dehumanising” and “dangerous”.

The video emerged amid growing wider international condemnation of Israel’s behaviour, including the issuing of new tenders for the massive E1 settlement block outside Jerusalem, which was denounced by the UK foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, as an “unacceptable and destructive act” that risked separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem. He summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires in protest.

“The UK has been clear privately and publicly in our opposition to E1 and our support for a two-state solution as the only way to ensure long-term security and peace for both Palestinians and Israelis,” Miliband said. “All settlements damage that prospect and are a flagrant breach of international law.”