Israel's observer status at the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly could be suspended after the country passed a new law calling for the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of some offences.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), part of the wider organisation that includes the European Court of Human Rights, is tasked with upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Israel has held observer status since 1957, and while it cannot vote, it is able to cooperate with members of the body in a number of areas.
Petra Bayr, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, said a "requirement" for holding observer status is not to implement the death penalty, while Israel's adoption of the law could breach other provisions and moral obligations.
The Israeli parliament's observer status "might be suspended until there is a decision [against] or until it is clear that the law will not go into force", she said. "There are red lines… even a non-discriminatory death penalty is a no-go."
A motion was signed in June 2025 by a cross-party group of parliamentarians calling for Israel's observer status to be suspended and urging the country to "allow humanitarian access and abide by international humanitarian law".
The motion has not yet been discussed in the Assembly and could take up to two years to become actionable text.
While no country has lost or been stripped of its observer status, Russia was stripped of its voting rights in 2014 after annexing Crimea and had its status withdrawn following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Israel passed the controversial law on 31 March, with 62 of the Knesset's 120 members voting in favour, drawing widespread condemnation and concern for Palestinian prisoners.
The law mandates the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murder with what Israel defines as a "terrorist motivation" that "harms the state of Israel". Jewish Israelis accused of similar crimes would not face the same punishment.
While the verdict can be appealed, the sentence will remain final, rendering executions effectively irreversible. In cases related to Gaza, the sentence would also be final.
Palestinian citizens of Israel could face either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of release in any future prisoner exchange.
The Palestinian Authority described the bill as a war crime, saying it violated the Fourth Geneva Convention's protections for individuals and guarantees of fair trial. At the same time, Amnesty International called on Israeli authorities to repeal the law immediately.
Member nations are expected to raise concerns about the bill during the vote on capital punishment on 22 April, according to a report by Gala Veldhoen, a Dutch left-wing MP.