European nations warn over Israel’s planned expansion of death penalty

Four major European nations—Britain, France, Germany, and Italy—have publicly opposed an Israeli bill set for a parliamentary vote next week that would expand the use of capital punishment. The Council of Europe's human rights body also raised alarms about the legislation, warning it would substantially broaden the circumstances under which Israel could impose the death penalty. The move represents a coordinated European pushback against Israeli criminal justice policy at a moment of heightened diplomatic tensions over the country's conduct in the Middle East. Capital punishment remains rare in modern Europe, where most nations have abolished it, making Israeli expansion of the practice a fundamental values clash between allies. The bill is expected to face a parliamentary vote in the coming days.