As Arafat faces a decline in support among local Arabs, the Palestinian Authority continues its recently-announced policy of lightening-fast show trials meting out the death sentence to Arabs suspected of collaborating with Israeli security forces. Today, the PA Security Court sentenced Haled el-Aka to death for allegedly providing the GSS with information which led to the downing of Hamas terrorist Massoud Iyad several months ago. The Arabs say that they have arrested 300 people whom they suspect of working with Israel\'s security establishment.
The international Human Rights Watch has written to Arafat \"deploring the resumption of death sentences against alleged collaborators following unfair trials in state security courts.\" Human Rights Watch urged Arafat to commute those already on death row and to take effective steps to halt vigilante killings of persons suspected of complicity with Israel.
The international Human Rights Watch has written to Arafat \"deploring the resumption of death sentences against alleged collaborators following unfair trials in state security courts.\" Human Rights Watch urged Arafat to commute those already on death row and to take effective steps to halt vigilante killings of persons suspected of complicity with Israel.