South Africa’s Pandor Denounces Israeli Death Penalty Bill

April 24—Former South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor has condemned a death penalty bill debated in Israel’s Knesset, saying the proposed measure targeting Palestinians reflects legal practices associated with apartheid and colonial rule. Pandor was one of the leaders of the fight to have Israel condemned for genocide by the International Criminal Court.

In a statement April 16, Pandor highlighted a draft bill discussed during a March 30 session of the Knesset which seeks to mandate the death penalty for Palestinians involved in attacks resulting in the loss of Israeli life.

According to Pandor, the legislation bypasses traditional judicial safeguards, representing a “mandatory” sentence dictated through legislative act rather than a standard court hearing or trial.

Pandor, who has long been a vocal figure in South African political communications and international strategy, likened the bill to laws enforced under British colonial and early South African rule circa 1935. During that era, the death penalty, specifically hanging, was mandatory for black citizens convicted of certain crimes, with no alternative sentencing available to the courts.

“Now, we’re going back to laws that we link with colonialism and apartheid,” Pandor remarked, suggesting that such measures validate international accusations of Israel operating as an apartheid state.

Pandor described the legislative process as “undemocratic” and “evil,” alleging that the session’s conclusion was met with “the drinking of champagne” by proponents of the bill.

The criticism centers on three primary concerns:

Mandatory sentencing: The removal of judicial discretion in capital cases.

Selective application: The specific targeting of one demographic (Palestinians) for these capital measures.

International non-compliance: The perceived neglect of established international legal frameworks governing human rights and occupied territories.

Pandor concluded her assessment by labelling the legislative actions as “absolutely disgraceful,” signaling a continued hardening of the diplomatic stance between Pretoria and Jerusalem regarding human rights and judicial independence.