Israeli National Security Minister hands out pro-death penalty pins at high school

A senior Israeli minister faced backlash after distributing pro-death penalty pins to students at a high school. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir handed out the pins during a visit to Handasaim Herzliya High School on Monday, as reported by The Jerusalem Post. The mayor of the affluent city of Herzliya, Yariv Fisher, denounced the incident, stating that it crossed an educational, ethical, and moral red line.

He emphasized that certain actions simply cannot take place within school walls, especially when many students are under the age of 18. School officials had informed Ben-Gvir's representatives that distributing the pins was prohibited, and staff members were instructed to confiscate them upon being handed out, according to the report.

The incident occurred amid Ben-Gvir's election campaign, where he has frequently advocated for a far-right agenda, including the use of the death penalty against Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks. Israel has only executed two individuals in its history. Ben-Gvir's party, Otzma Yehudit, defended his decision, claiming that showing deterrence against terrorism in schools is crucial, with the party stating, "A terrorist who comes to kill a Jew must die, period."

In August, Ben-Gvir announced plans to build an execution facility within a new wing for death row inmates at a prison in central Israel.