[The spokesman for the US Embassy, Paul Paten, was asked if the US, which is promoting democracy among the Palestinians, would intervene to stop these executions of dissidents. he would not give a definitive answer – db]

Israel believed that Abu Mazen’s election marked a new attitude in the Palestinian Authority towards human rights, but it appears that with regard to those who cooperate with Israel, the attitude is the same as in Arafat’s time. In the coming month, the PA will execute 15 Palestinians charged with cooperation with Israel.

The last steps are currently being carried out for coordinating between the PA agencies, in advance of the execution of 15 people who were convicted of cooperation boration with Israel and the murder of Palestinian citizens. Director of the Military Courts Authority Saeb Kidwa announced last night that Jerusalem Mufti Sheikh Ikrima Sabri had examined the 15 cases of the sentenced prisoners and given religious authorization to have them executed.

Sabri returned the cases to PA Chairman Abu Mazen, who is supposed to submit the cases to the appropriate authorities for the execution of the sentence. The execution will be carried out by the Palestinian security services, under the supervision of the Military Courts Authority.

The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel has condemned the decision to execute the coooperaters and announced that it is opposed in principle to this type of punishment. The committee requested that the sentences be repealed, since they are illegitimate, cruel and inhumane…

Following this, Minister Sharansky sent an urgent letter to the prime minister, writing the following:

“The Israeli government should pose an uncompromising demand to the PA not to execute cooperators. It is unthinkable that the Palestinian Authority demands that Israel release terrorists, and we accede to the demand in hope of opening the way to a future of peace, while it intends to carry out state-sponsored murder of people who helped us fight terrorism.”

This piece ran in Maariv on March 4th, 2005

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