Up to 17 more Palestinians face execution for collaborating with Israel

GAZA — The Palestinian Authority has begun executing collaborators with Israel.

PA firing squads have so far killed two collaborators in Gaza and Nablus. Another four were convicted by a military court in Bethlehem.

Officials said the aim is to end what they term the widespread use of Palestinians by Israel in tracking leaders of the mini-war in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They said Israel has bought the services of scores of Palestinians to provide information on organizers of the revolt.

"This is a clear message to anyone thinking of betrayal of his people and his homeland," PA Justice Minister Freih Abu Meiden said. ''We will not forgive anyone like these."

The two Palestinians executed over Saturday were Majdi Makawi and Alam Bani Odeh. They were convicted of helping Israeli forces assassinate Fatah leader Jamal Abdel Razek and Hamas bombmaker Ibrahim Bani Odeh. Four Palestinians were convicted in Bethlehem of helping Israel kill Fatah comander Hussein Abayat. Two were sentenced to death and the others to life in prison.

The executions could take place later on Sunday. Abu Medein said another 10-15 Palestinians could be tried and executed on the same charges.

Palestinian human rights activists have condemned the executions. They said the trials were unfair and that the PA has assembled lists of thousands of suspects of Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel.

"The defendant was tried in a court which does not meet minimum standards for fair trial," said LAW, the Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment.

During the Gaza trial of Makawi on Thursday, the crowd demanded that he be immediately executed.