Minister of Defense Avigdor Liberman clarified that the Yisrael Beytenu faction will fight in the Knesset until the completion of the legislation of the “death penalty for terrorists bill.” "After more than three years of stubborn struggle, on Wednesday, the death penalty for terrorists bill will finally be brought before the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and then approved for first reading in the Knesset plenum,” Liberman said Tuesday. "We will not give up and we will not stop until we complete the mission," the defense minister stressed. The green light to proceed with the bill’s legislation was given Sunday at the meeting of coalition party heads at the request of Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett. According to the bill, initiated by the Yisrael Beytenu faction, a terrorist can be sentenced to death even without the unanimous consent of the judges, with a regular majority among the judges sufficing for this purpose. Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) said yesterday he would fight against the bill. "I take responsibility for stopping the death penalty for terrorists bill. The death penalty will not be promoted until there is a discussion about it and a cabinet decision." In an interview with Radio 103FM, Steinitz claimed that "This law will be the biggest victory for the terrorist organizations against Israel. We cannot afford to cause ourselves the harm in this matter, nor will we put anyone to death - it’s all politics. The Shin Bet, National Security Council (Malal), and Attorney General agree with me that legislation now on a death penalty for terrorists will result in harm to Israel’s image, and it is tremendous in the wake of this thing."
