Calling for Urgent International Action and Labeling it a War Crime: League Organizes Parliamentary Symposium on Palestinian Prisoner Execution Law

The League of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds and Palestine organized a parliamentary symposium on Saturday titled: "Executing Palestinian Prisoners: Legislation for Murder or a Full-Fledged War Crime? International Parliamentary Responsibility in Confronting the Israeli Execution Law." The event aimed to analyze the legal and political implications of the law and explore avenues for international mobilization.

The symposium featured prominent figures, including Mr. Hamid bin Abdullah al-Ahmar, President of the League; Jordanian MP Yanal Fraihat, who moderated the session; Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative; Qadura Fares, former head of the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority; international law expert Ashraf Nasrallah; and Dr. Mohammad Makram Balawi, Secretary-General of the League.

A Systematic Policy of Liquidation

Participants emphasized the urgent need for immediate international protection for Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, demanding a halt to the execution law and highlighting the escalating violations against them.

MP Yanal Freihat opened the session by stating that the occupation is exploiting current events to pass dangerous legislation targeting prisoners and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He characterized the draft execution law as a "clear declaration of premeditated intent" to liquidate prisoners, noting that the symposium is part of a broader Arab and international parliamentary movement launched by the League to topple the law.

Sheikh Hamid bin Abdullah al-Ahmar, President of the League, added that the occupation believes it can bypass international scrutiny while the world is occupied with ongoing events. He argued that this law is inseparable from the broader context of "genocidal warfare" and systematic policies—including torture, starvation, medical neglect, and solitary confinement—that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"The League has sent urgent messages to parliamentarians and international institutions to accurately define this law as a war crime. There must be a global role in holding governments accountable to take a firm stand against these systematic crimes," Al-Ahmar stated.

"Fascist Shift" and International Silence

Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, asserted that the law seeks to "legalize" the murders already being committed against prisoners. He noted that over 2,000 field executions have been recorded across the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the interior.

Barghouti highlighted several key points:

• Legal Violation: Under international law, an occupying power has no right to impose such legislation on a population under occupation.

• Systemic Racism: The law reflects a "fascist shift" within Israeli society, establishing an apartheid system more severe than that of South Africa.

• Sanctions: He criticized the international community’s failure to impose sanctions, noting that some Western nations continue to receive Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite the ICC arrest warrant.

He further warned that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir might seek to reopen files of former prisoners to apply the execution law retroactively, stressing that the law must be completely rescinded, not merely amended.

Prisons as "Graveyards"

Qadura Fares, former head of the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority, warned that Israel aims to turn prisons into "graveyards" to deter Palestinian resistance. He pointed to unannounced executions occurring within prisons under the guise of enforced disappearance, particularly regarding detainees from the Gaza Strip.

Fares described international silence as "complicity" and called for a comprehensive Arab, Islamic, and international boycott of the Israeli occupation.

Legal Mobilization

International law expert Ashraf Nasrallah explained that Israel is imposing a comprehensive system of punitive measures while simultaneously blocking international institutions from accessing detainees. He urged:

1. Support for international legal tracks to prosecute Israeli officials.

2. Enhanced coordination between parliaments and civil society to build a unified front.

3. Independent international investigations into crimes committed against prisoners.

The symposium concluded with a statement read by Dr. Mohammad Makram Balawi, which outlined recommendations for intensifying parliamentary and legal efforts to provide immediate protection for Palestinian detainees and ensure the total repeal of the execution law.