THE German Foreign Minister Analena Berbock expressed concern about the independence of the judiciary in Israelbut also about the plans to introduce the death penalty during a joint press conference with her Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Berlin.

“I don’t deny that we abroad are concerned about some of Israel’s legislative plans,” said Analena Burbok.

“Among the values ​​that unite us is the protection of constitutional principles such as the independence of the judiciary,” he said.

The introduction of the death penalty, as envisaged by the Israeli government for “terrorists”, would be a “big mistake”, warned the head of German diplomacy.

The proposal is controversial in Israel, where the death penalty was once used by the judiciary against war criminal Adolf Eichmann, in 1962.

“In Germany, we learn in school that Israel, although threatened by terrorism like no other country, has used the death penalty only once in its history, against Adolf Eichmann,” said Analena Burbock.

“This has been an effective argument for those of us who have defended Israel on the international stage against unfair criticism… I say this as a friend, it would be a big mistake to break with History.”

“We are categorically opposed to the death penalty and we are talking about it everywhere in the world, in the United States and in Japan, as well as in Iran and Saudi Arabia,” continued Analena Burbock. “Across the world states are abandoning this barbaric practice, largely because it has been shown not to work as a deterrent.”

An Israeli cabinet committee has voted in favor of a “proposed law that paves the way for courts to impose the death penalty against terrorists.”

For his part, Eli Cohen stated that Israel will continue to build settlements in the West Bank under the current, as well as under the previous administration.

“We will certainly continue to build there as well,” he said.