Today, once again, we are witnessing Israel’s attempt to collectively punish the Palestinian people not only through bombardment, siege, and occupation, but also through discriminatory, cruel, and inhumane measures advanced under the cover of law. This is an assault on the Palestinian people’s right to life, human dignity, and fundamental freedoms. It is also a stark reminder that law, when stripped of justice, can be weaponized to deepen oppression.

The proposed death penalty measure targeting Palestinians is a blatant violation of international law, the most basic principles of human rights, and the conscience of humanity. It represents yet another expression of occupation, institutionalized discrimination, and racist state practice. Any legal arrangement that singles out a people on the basis of identity, subjecting them to separate laws, separate punishment, and separate treatment, is devoid of legitimacy. It is null in moral terms and fundamentally incompatible with human dignity.

As the International Labour Confederation, we state this in the clearest possible terms: the death penalty is incompatible with human dignity, cannot be justified in the name of justice, and must never be legitimized under any circumstances. When introduced in conditions of occupation, shaped by discriminatory intent, and designed to target Palestinians alone, this is no longer merely a legal matter. It is the attempted normalization of an institutionalized regime of cruelty.

We therefore call on the international community, and first and foremost the United Nations, to act with urgency and resolve. Silence in the face of Israel’s unlawful practices is not neutrality; it enables the continuation of these crimes. Concrete, effective, and binding measures must now be taken to protect the Palestinian people’s right to life, dignity, and fundamental freedoms. International law must be upheld equally, consistently, and without exception.

No system that punishes a people on the basis of their identity can ever claim legitimacy.

 Neither history nor conscience will absolve this cruelty.