Madrid, Spain. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez condemned Israel’s parliamentary approval of a law that would impose the death sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks by military courts, calling it a “step towards apartheid.” Sanchez said the measure was asymmetrical because it would not apply to Israelis committing the same crimes.
Sanchez statement and reference to apartheid
Sanchez wrote on X on Tuesday that the law would mean “same crime, different punishment,” and said “the world cannot stay silent.” Apartheid was the system of racial segregation enforced by South Africa’s white minority governments in the second half of last century.
Spain-Israel diplomatic standoff
Spain has been embroiled in a diplomatic standoff with Israel since Madrid’s sharp criticism of the Israeli government during the 2023-25 Gaza war, which it labelled as genocide. Israel’s officials have called Spain’s stance antisemitic on several occasions.
The rift worsened this month after Spain’s opposition to the U.S.-Israel attacks on Iran, leading Madrid to permanently withdraw its ambassador to Israel on March 11.
Israeli law and criticism
On Monday, Israel’s parliament passed the law making death by hanging a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military courts of deadly attacks, fulfilling a pledge by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies.
Critics of the new law said its language effectively confines those Israelis who can be sentenced to death to members of the country’s 20% Arab minority, many of whom identify as Palestinian, and not to Jewish citizens.
European Commission reaction
The European Commission said Israel’s law was “very concerning” and “a clear step backwards” in terms of its commitment to democratic principles.
Death penalty history in Israel
Israel abolished the death penalty for murder in 1954. The only person executed in Israel after a civilian trial was Adolf Eichmann, an architect of the Nazi Holocaust, in 1962.
How do you assess the impact of the new Israeli law on Spain’s already strained relations with Israel?