The Palestinian Authority
would not be bowing to pressure and plans to impose the death penalty against Palestinians suspected of collaboration with Israel, Palestinian justice Minister Farid al-Jallad says.
The minister’s remarks came in response to a decision by a Palestinian religious leader who recently authorized the execution of a group of Palestinian collaborators convicted in PA courts.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas referred the matter to the Palestinian mufti last month amid popular rage over the failure to implement death penalties.
In several cases, Palestinian mobs attacks Gaza prisons in a bid to kill Palestinians sentenced to death.
'There’s no outside intervention'
Jallad rejected what he said was foreign intervention in Palestinian affairs and noted the death penalty exists throughout the world, including in the U.S. and Israel, despite the global trend to resist executions.
“There’s no outside intervention, including Israeli intervention, in the Palestinian legal system,” he said. “The law’s implementation is a matter related to the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian legal system only.”
Palestinian observers have explained the need for executions by saying death sentences could stop the spread of revenge attacks, which have become increasingly common during the intifadah.
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