Ben-Gvir unveils hanging facility, viewing booths for terrorists in Israeli prison

The Death Penalty for Terrorists law was passed by the Knesset plenum in March and later added to the West Bank's security regulations by IDF Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth in May.

An execution facility for the hanging of convicted terrorists is being built within the already-constructed death row prisoner wing in central Israel, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's office announced on Tuesday.

"I promised to worsen the conditions of terrorists in prisons - we kept it," said Ben-Gvir. "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."

According to the announcement, the facility will include viewing booths for terror victims and their families to witness the hangings, "as is customary in many countries," with visitors' permits available for members of bereaved families.

"We are making history," Ben-Gvir emphasized. "Our terrorists deserve only one thing - death by hanging."

In June, Ben-Gvir appointed six bereaved family members from the Choosing Life Forum as official inspectors under the Death Penalty for Terrorists Law, which was passed by the Knesset plenum in March, and later added to the West Bank's security regulations by IDF Central Command chief Maj.-Gen. Avi Bluth in May.

Ben-Gvir said the inspectors will be central to overseeing the conditions of those terrorists given death sentences and will be granted supervisory powers regarding the law's implementation.

"No one is more deserving than families who have paid the heaviest price in the fight against terrorism to be part of the oversight mechanism for implementing the law, Ben-Gvir said. "This appointment reflects recognition of the pain of terror victims and their right to be partners in the struggle for justice and deterrence."

Israeli-Arab lawmakers challenge terrorist death penalty law

Earlier in June, several Israeli-Arab lawmakers sought to join a petition against the death penalty law, which was filed with the High Court of Justice in April.

The petition claims the new law is unconstitutional and asks the court the strike it down on the grounds that it violates the rights to life, dignity, equality, and due process.

It further claims that the law discriminates against Palestinians, noting its application in West Bank military courts.

Shir Perets, Sara Ben-Nun, Keshet Neev, and Sam Halpern contributed to this report.