Urge Israeli Government to stop law allowing execution of Palestinian prisoners
This petition gathered 114,445 signatures between 4 February 2026 and 4 August 2026, according to the Parliament petitions site. The Government responded on 23 April 2026.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Urge Israeli Government to stop law allowing execution of Palestinian prisoners
The UK Government must act urgently to urge the Israeli Government to stop the proposed law which would permit the execution of Palestinian Prisoners, past, present and future.
We believe that such a law would constitute complete violation of the Geneva Convention and International Human Rights Law. UN experts have called for these proposals to be dropped.
We call on the UK Government apply considerable and substantial political pressure and the leverage of its international obligations to prevent the Israeli Government from passing this law.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 23 April 2026; the petitions site lists the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office as responsible. Its summary:
The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances. The Government has raised concerns with the Government of Israel and will continue to do so.
The opening 392 words of the 483-word response:
The Death Penalty for Terrorists bill introduces a mandatory death sentence for terrorism-related murders, with no right of appeal. The powers would in practice apply almost exclusively to military courts trying Palestinians in the West Bank.
The UK has expressed our deep concern about the bill, as it would significantly expand the possibilities to impose the death penalty in Israel. We have been clear, publicly and privately, that we oppose the death penalty in all circumstances. The death penalty has not been used in Israel for over 60 years, and this legislation risks being a regressive step enabling its use.
Following its passage at second and third readings in the Knesset the bill is now law subject to legal challenge via Israel’s independent judicial system. The Foreign Secretary spoke to the Israeli Foreign Minister and called for further plans to introduce this bill to be abandoned.
On 29 March, the UK issued a joint statement with Foreign Ministers of Australia, Germany, France, Italy and New Zealand urging the Government of Israel to abandon plans for the death penalty bill. The statement can be found here: Joint statement on Israel's Death Penalty Bill: 29 March 2026 - GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-on-israels-death-penalty-bill-29-march-2026). As set out in the statement, the UK and other signatories oppose the death penalty, reflecting a long-standing and shared commitment to abolition. The UK Government believes that the death penalty’s use undermines human dignity, that there is no conclusive evidence of its deterrent value, and that any miscarriage of justice leading to its imposition is irreversible and irreparable. We particularly deplore any failure to observe the relevant international standards, defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
More broadly, the UK Government continues to call on the Government of Israel to uphold international law and human rights. This includes respecting the fundamental rights of detainees and prisoners, ensuring due process, and refraining from actions that risk further exacerbating tensions or inflaming an already fragile situation.
The UK continues to support international efforts to reduce violence, protect civilians, and promote respect for the rule of law. We firmly believe that lasting security for Israelis and Palestinians can only be achieved through progress on the Gaza ceasefire and the 20-point plan, an end to the annexation threats and settler violence in the West Bank, and a realistic political horizon for the two-state solution.
Read the full response on the petitions site.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies. Measured against each constituency's electorate at the 2024 general election, the most came from Blackburn, with 20.7 signatures per 1,000 electors (1,519 in all).
111,587 of the signatures were from the UK and 2,858 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures | Electorate, July 2024 | Per 1,000 electors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn | 1,519 | 73,263 | 20.7 |
| Bethnal Green and Stepney | 1,550 | 81,439 | 19.0 |
| Dewsbury and Batley | 1,113 | 71,685 | 15.5 |
| Poplar and Limehouse | 1,242 | 84,116 | 14.8 |
| Ilford South | 1,160 | 80,993 | 14.3 |
| Leicester South | 995 | 70,867 | 14.0 |
| Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley | 1,051 | 76,936 | 13.7 |
| Brent East | 1,040 | 77,547 | 13.4 |
| Ilford North | 1,040 | 78,657 | 13.2 |
| East Ham | 1,010 | 79,219 | 12.7 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| London | 33,646 |
| North West | 15,879 |
| West Midlands | 10,550 |
| South East | 10,426 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 8,985 |
| Scotland | 7,262 |
| East of England | 6,685 |
| East Midlands | 5,728 |
| South West | 4,566 |
| Wales | 2,906 |
| North East | 2,611 |
| Northern Ireland | 1,334 |
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/754432.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
3d6dfd7ddafaaba6… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.