National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit colleagues made a provocative statement Monday, arriving at a Knesset committee hearing wearing noose-shaped lapel pins as lawmakers debated legislation authorizing execution of convicted terrorists.
Deliberations on MK Limor Son Har-Melech's "death penalty for terrorists" bill commenced Monday morning before the National Security Committee under Chairman MK Zvika Fogel.
The Otzma Yehudit MKs' decision to come sporting noose-shaped lapel pins was supposed to show their determination to secure capital punishment for terrorists and conveying the message that "terrorists are condemned to die." The pin bears the same color as that worn over the past two years in solidarity with the Gaza hostages held by Hamas.
During the hearing, Ben-Gvir declared, "We all wore these pins, which represent one method we'll employ to carry out the terrorist death penalty statute. Naturally we have the guillotine option, the electric chair option, and lethal injection as well. Since reports emerged that physicians refused to participate in implementing the law, I've fielded 100 inquiries from doctors asking Itamar, just say when."
