The Ministerial Committee on Legislation voted on Sunday to greenlight a proposed law aimed at creating a designated criminal tribunal to handle the prosecution of individuals involved in the October 7 atrocities.
This legislation, co-sponsored by MK Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionist Party and MK Yulia Malinovsky from Yisrael Beytenu, outlines a plan to establish a specialized judicial body tailored to address the horrific crimes perpetrated by Hamas during the deadly attack.
According to the draft, the envisioned court would deal exclusively with grave offenses such as genocide, sexual violence, homicide, and widespread pillaging. Judges serving in this court would be chosen by a specially formed committee that would include delegates from the justice, defense, and foreign ministries.
The bill’s explanatory introduction emphasizes the limitations of the conventional court system, stating: “The regular judicial system is not equipped to handle such a scale of serious crimes, committed simultaneously by hundreds of perpetrators.”
Rothman argued that Israel’s legal framework remains stuck in outdated approaches when confronting the perpetrators of the massacre. “When it comes to the Nukhba terrorists, legally, the State of Israel is still deeply entrenched in the mindset that preceded October 7. The legal tools are neither suitable nor relevant for an event of genocide and murder, and anyone who tries to force it into the framework of criminal law undermines the entire process. As evidence, not a single indictment has been filed to this day. Therefore, we must fundamentally change the structure.”
He noted that the proposal is designed to facilitate timely and effective legal action that is properly aligned with the extraordinary nature of the crimes, while still grounded in international legal standards.
Malinovsky added her own remarks following the committee’s approval: “The Ministerial Committee on Legislation expressed support for my bill to prosecute the Nukhba terrorists. On Wednesday, the bill will be brought for a preliminary reading in the Knesset plenum. The road is still long, but the first step toward justice begins now.”
{Matzav.com Israel}