The Knesset National Security Committee voted late Tuesday to advance the coalition’s controversial bill to mandate the death penalty for terror convicts to the parliament’s plenum for the final two readings needed for it to pass into law.

The vote was held after a marathon session attended by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, whose Otzma Yehudit party colleague MK Limor Son Har-Melech sponsored the legislation.

“The law sets out a clear and unequivocal message: Those who choose to murder Jews because they are Jews lose their right to live,” said Har-Melech, calling the bill’s advancement “a moral and necessary step.”

“This is a historic moment of justice for the State of Israel. Those who choose to murder Jews just because they are Jews have one sentence — death,” said Ben Gvir. “No more revolving door of attacks, imprisonments and releases. This law restores deterrence, restores justice, and sends a clear and unambiguous message to our enemies: Jewish blood is not cheap. We will continue to lead an uncompromising policy against terror until victory.”

According to a statement by Otzma Yehudit, the bill is set to advance to its second and third readings in the Knesset next week.

Committee chairman Zvika Fogel urged “all members of the coalition” to vote in favor of the bill in its final two readings.

Haaretz reported that the committee was hoping to send the bill to the plenum as early as Monday, before the........

© The Times of Israel