A Palestinian man was sentenced to death by hanging on Saturday after being found guilty of 'collaborating' with Israel. Another three Palestinians were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three years to 10 years on the same charges.
Yusef Hassan Sinwar, 31, of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, was convicted by a Palestinian Authority civil court of assisting the IDF in tracking down and killing wanted activists. In passing the death sentence, the first by the PA in two and a half years, the judges noted that he had 'undermined the power of resistance of the Palestinian people by serving as a collaborator with the enemy.'
Sinwar was arrested in October 2001 by the PA's General Intelligence Force in the Gaza Strip. This is the first time that a Palestinian accused of collaboration with Israel is sentenced to death by hanging. In the past, Palestinians convicted of the same charges were sentenced to death by a firing squad.
Sinwar was one of the four defendants who appeared before the Gaza court. His verdict requires the approval of PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, who over the past three years has refrained from endorsing executions, following protests from human rights organizations.
That last phrase is sadly funny for so many reasons. - EoZ
