Call to stop executions of Palestinian Prisoners 

To mark Palestinian Prisoners Day - Friday, April 17, 2026 - Derry City and Strabane District councillor Shaun Harkin (PBP) has called for the bill greenlighting executions of Palestinian prisoners to be rescinded. 

"Palestinian Prisoners' Day will send a message of solidarity to thousands of Palestinians, including children, held illegally in Israeli jails," said Cllr Harkin.

The selective application of the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners starkly highlights systemic discrimination and institutionalised inequality under Israel’s illegal occupation," he added.

"The Israeli license to kill is explicitly designed to apply solely to Palestinians, while Israeli settlers, who commit acts of violence with near-total impunity, remain exempt from such harsh penalties. 

"The Israeli state in all its racist, barbarism is once again exposed to the world through not just this appalling law but the reaction of the settler criminals, who celebrated winning the right to murder Palestinians ’legally.’ 

"The country that styles itself as ‘the only democracy in the Middle East’ showed the world once more what a grotesque claim that is. 

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"Israeli human rights organisations have unequivocally condemned this law," said Cllr Harkin.

"Groups such as B’Tselem and Adalah have denounced it as a blatant violation of international law and a dangerous precedent that undermines the rights of prisoners and the principles of due process," he added.

"Amnesty International has also issued strong statements condemning the law, emphasising that it constitutes a form of state-sanctioned violence that violates the right to life and fair trial standards.

"Yet Western governments have remained largely silent. 

"If a law like this was passed by North Korea or Russia the great upholders of ‘western values‘ would be shouting condemnation from the roof tops, instead they stay silent and once more betray the Palestinian people. 

"The recently passed death penalty law applying solely to Palestinians must be rescinded and plans to execute Palestinian prisoners stopped," Cllr Harkin commented.

"Trump is not overseeing a Gaza peace plan, he is facilitating the continuing genocide of the Palestinian people. The brutal treatment of Palestinians held hostage by Israel is part and parcel of its genocidal campaign. 

"Westminster, Stormont and the Dáil have all been found wanting when it comes to opposing genocide, opposing Israel's racist death penalty law and supporting the implementation of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. 

"This makes grassroots solidarity, people-power mobilisations and action all the more necessary and critical."