Words Without Action
The EU's Empty Response to Israel's Palestinian-Only Death Penalty Law
On 25 March, a European Union statement reiterated, “in the clearest and most unequivocal terms, its strong and active opposition to the use of the death penalty, in all cases and in all circumstances. The right to life and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment should admit no exception.”
Barely a week later, as the Israeli Knesset advanced a decision to introduce a death penalty that would apply only to Palestinians, European representatives switched into “concern-mode.” A number of statements, including joint communications by the governments of the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, and Australia, messages by foreign ministries, as well as EU-wide communiqués delivered by High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, noted the disturbing character of the legislative change in Israel—and made clear they intend to do nothing about it.
Instead, the EU statement depicted the new law as a “grave regression” in the occupation power’s—apparently—overall positive record. “Israel has long upheld a de facto moratorium on both executions and capital punishment sentencing, thereby leading by example in the region despite a complex security environment.”
This statement, issued by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs on 31 March 2026, came after more than two years of genocide conducted by Israel in the Gaza Strip, during which thousands of Palestinians have been illegally imprisoned and tortured, with many of them, including several health workers, dying in these circumstances. They might not have been officially sentenced to death, but it is very difficult to see this as Israel upholding a moratorium on executions.
The ineffective character of these statements was not lost on Palestinian organizations and progressive groups in Europe. A host of political parties called for resolute action, starting with the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. In addition to left parliamentarians and parties, which have been demanding this (unitedly) for years, even the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament called for such action.
Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, the Commission for Detainees Affairs, and the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club also reacted to European communications, noting that “expressions of concern, while important, are no longer sufficient in the face of such escalation.”
“We emphasize that continued reliance on language of concern, without corresponding measures of accountability, undermines the very principles the EU has affirmed,” they wrote. “Upholding the universal rejection of the death penalty requires consistent and decisive action, particularly in contexts where it is deployed in a discriminatory and political manner.”
In addition to suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Addameer, the Commission for Detainees Affairs, and the Palestinian Prisoners Club also called for targeted sanctions on the Israeli occupation, a suspension of all types of cooperation with it, and isolation of the Knesset and occupation military court system in international settings.
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