Aida Touma‑Suleiman, a journalist and member of the Knesset for Hadash (The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality) since 2015, announced Tuesday that she and several human rights organizations have submitted an urgent petition to Israel’s High Court of Justice demanding the cancellation of the newly approved law mandating the execution of Palestinian detainees.
Touma‑Suleiman said the petition was filed in cooperation with Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel and a coalition of human rights organizations and politicians, including the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI), Physicians for Human Rights Israel, Israeli human rights and legal advocacy organization (Gisha,) in addition to Members of Knesset Ayman Odeh and Ahmed Tibi.
She stressed that the move was taken immediately after the Knesset vote, anticipating that the governing coalition would pass the measure in what she described as “a poisoned atmosphere of incitement, hatred, and a government‑driven policy of revenge and eradication.”
She said the legislation constitutes “an inhumane and immoral act that legitimizes state‑sponsored killing,” adding that the law is deliberately crafted to be implemented “practically and systematically against Palestinians alone.”
Aida added that the measure is part of a broader governmental trajectory aimed at erasing Palestinian identity and entrenching a political doctrine rooted in retaliation, incitement, and racism.
She acknowledged that the parliamentary battle was lost, as the far‑right governing coalition pushed the bill through with a majority, but emphasized that the struggle is far from over.
“We are continuing the fight against this criminal law to prevent its implementation,” she said, noting that the judiciary remains one of several arenas where the confrontation will continue, alongside ongoing efforts at the international level.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that the law violates fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including the prohibition on discriminatory punitive measures and the absolute ban on executing individuals under occupation through legislation imposed by the occupying power.
The petition argues that the law not only contravenes Israel’s constitutional standards but also entrenches a system of differential punishment targeting Palestinians exclusively, in violation of the principles of equality, due process, and the right to life.
The High Court is expected to review the emergency petition in the coming period, as legal and human rights advocates prepare for what they describe as a critical test of the judiciary’s willingness to curb discriminatory legislation advanced by the current government.
