1 April 2026 | 12 Syawal 1447H:- The Islamic Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) strongly condemns the passage of a law by the Israeli Knesset on 30 March 2026 that expands the application of the death penalty against Palestinians tried in military courts. This measure not only violates the fundamental principles of universal justice, but also contravenes core tenets of international humanitarian law, including the right to a fair trial and the prohibition of punishments that are not grounded in equality and justice.
ABIM is of the view that this measure may constitute a serious breach of international humanitarian law, potentially amounting to a war crime, particularly when viewed within the context of prolonged occupation, which is governed by the principles of the Fourth Geneva Convention protecting civilians in occupied territories.
ABIM emphasises that this issue cannot be separated from the long-standing concerns surrounding the detention system. More than 9,000 Palestinians are reportedly in detention, with thousands held under administrative detention without formal charges or full trial. Human rights organisations have also documented that hundreds of Palestinian children remain detained, including in conditions that fall short of basic standards of due process and legal transparency.
Under such circumstances, the implementation of the death penalty is not a matter of justice, but rather an expansion of punitive power within a system that is structurally imbalanced in terms of equality, judicial independence and the protection of fundamental rights. Of particular concern is the selective application of this law against Palestinians without guarantees of equality before the law.
ABIM strongly condemns the celebratory reactions by the leadership of the Zionist regime to a decision that directly concerns human life. Celebrating the expansion of the death penalty in a context involving thousands of Palestinian detainees, including children and those held without trial, not only reflects a grave erosion of universal human values, but also underscores the reality that many of these detainees should be regarded as political prisoners and prisoners of conscience within the framework of a prolonged occupation that denies their rights, dignity and freedom.
ABIM calls upon the United Nations (UN), particularly the Human Rights Council and relevant Special Rapporteurs, to investigate and document the implications of this law as a potential violation of international humanitarian law. ABIM also urges the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to coordinate a unified position among its member states to press for the suspension of this policy, including through diplomatic and international legal channels.
At the same time, the international community must ensure immediate protection for all Palestinian detainees, particularly those held without trial. Failure to act against such a clearly unjust policy will only entrench a culture of immunity from accountability and accelerate the normalisation of violence by the Zionist Israeli regime.
Justice cannot be built upon occupation, oppression and the selective application of the death penalty. What is unfolding is not the rule of law, but the legitimisation of injustice before the eyes of the world.
“Upholding Truth and Justice”
SALMAN MOHD YUSOP
Vice President
Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM)
