Israeli Haaretz Columnist Speaks Out About "Death Penalty Without Trial"

Recently some in Israel proposed applying the death penalty for terrorists. Netanyahu, to his credit, chose to bury that idea. But in recent days there has been a wave of stabbings (some fatal) against Israelis committed by individual Palestinians has given rise to a disturbing phenomenon.

While Israeli Jewish stabbers such as the murderer in the gay pride parade or the one in Dimona were successfully apprehended to face justice in a court of law when the stabber is Palestinian somehow it keeps ending with the Palestinian being shot to death.

Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy, an Israeli Jew, has condemned this as "a death penalty without trial."

Now add to the wave of terror attacks the worst kind of damage – Israeli society is losing its image. This society has had savage periods before, but not like this one, in which every stabber or anyone who threatens with a knife, screwdriver or vegetable peeler is executed, even after he has thrown down his weapon, while the killer becomes a hero of the nation.

Those who wanted the death penalty for terrorists are now receiving a more ignominious version – a death penalty without trial. Fourteen Palestinians have been killed this way in the past week, most of them would not be liable for a death sentence in a state of law. The blood lust, the likes of which is not remembered in these parts, wants more and more blood.

In some of the attacks, the security forces and civilians acted appropriately and neutralized the assailants. Sometimes, there is no choice but to shoot and kill. But in other cases, they carried out an execution, there is no other way to describe it. The video clips prove it indisputably. (Gideon Levy, "Israel's Lawless Death Penalty Without Trial Buoyed by Cheers of the Masses," Haaretz, October 11, 2015.)

What a tragic state of affairs.

We need peace in the Holy Land now so that all, Israelis and Palestinians, can live together in peace.

How dare the COGs use these bitter tragedies as fodder for their false prophecies. We need peace now.