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25th Knesset · outgoing

Counter-Terrorism Law (Amendment – Harsher Punishment for an Offense That Is an Act of Terrorism) Bill

Translated from Hebrew: הצעת חוק המאבק בטרור (תיקון - החמרה בענישה בשל עבירה שהיא מעשה טרור)

TL;DRThe proposal toughens sentencing for terrorism offenses by placing heavy weight on deterrence and retribution, and not on rehabilitation or the absence of a criminal record.

Translated from Hebrew

What does the bill do?

The proposal amends the Counter-Terrorism Law by adding subsection (e) to Section 37, which provides that in sentencing a person convicted of an offense that is an act of terrorism, the court will give reduced weight to considerations of rehabilitation and absence of a criminal record, and increased weight to considerations of deterrence and retribution. In addition, in sentencing a resident or citizen of Israel who committed such an offense, the court will not take into account the absence of a criminal record. The proposal applies to anyone convicted of a terrorism offense, including minors.

Passed preliminary readingFirst plenum vote: February 19, 2025

The votes on this bill

Passed38 for · 5 against · 1 abstained · 76 did not vote
Source: the Knesset's vote record ↗

Coalition 62 seats

LikudFor 21 · Absent 11
ShasFor 6 · Absent 5
United Torah JudaismFor 4 · Absent 3
Religious ZionismFor 2 · Absent 4
NoamAbsent 1

Left the coalition 14 seats

Otzma YehuditFor 2 · Absent 5

Opposition 44 seats

Yesh AtidAbstained 1 · Absent 23
Yisrael BeytenuFor 1 · Absent 5
Ra'amAgainst 2 · Absent 3
Hadash–Ta'alAgainst 3 · Absent 2
LaborAbsent 4

Tap an MK for detailsChanged position between readingsOnly MKs who held a seat on the day of the vote are shown