The Knesset on Thursday approved a law that allows courts to sentence minors under the age of 14 convicted of terrorist offenses to prison terms.
This legislation marks a significant shift in Israel’s approach to juvenile justice, particularly in terrorism-related cases.
The Youth Bill (Adjudication, Punishment and Methods of Treatment) (Amendment No. 25—Temporary Provisions), 2024, was sponsored by members of the Otzma Yehudit and Likud parties. It passed with 55 votes in favor and 33 against.
Under the law, which is set as a temporary provision for five years, courts can order that minors between the ages of 12 and 14 convicted of murder as an act of terrorism, or within the activity of a terrorist organization, be held in a closed residential facility. Upon turning 14 and following an additional hearing, these minors will be transferred to prison to serve the remainder of their sentence.
The legislation also includes provisions for dealing with minors who pose a danger to, or harm others, while in custody. In such cases, the court can replace the stay in a closed residential facility with imprisonment for up to 10 days. If these circumstances recur, the court has the power to change the order to imprisonment for a longer period.
The most recent case of minors being indicted for terrorism offenses came on Thursday morning, when two Arab Israeli minors were indicted for planning to carry out bombing attacks against security forces.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) has expressed strong opposition to the law, arguing that it runs counter to trends in juvenile justice in developed countries concerning minors involved in terrorism.
On Tuesday, the Knesset approved a law that will allow the Education Ministry to dismiss teachers who carry out or publicly support acts of terrorism, as well as cut off funding for educational institutions that glorify terrorism.
On Wednesday, the Knesset voted 61 to 41 to pass a law allowing the deportation of terrorists’ family members who can be proven to have known about attacks before their occurrence but did not warn the authorities.
