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Palestinian Authority Executes Four Men

Sunday, June 12, 2005

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Palestinian security forces on Sunday executed convicts for the first time since 2001 as part of a campaign to rein in lawlessness that has plagued the West Bank and Gaza Strip (search) during four years of fighting with Israel (search).

The four men executed were convicted of murder and sentenced to death by Palestinian courts, Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfiq Abu Housa said.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas (search) signed the execution orders on Saturday, he added. Three of the men were hanged and one was shot by a firing squad.

"There is a new policy of enforcing the law to face and fight the chaos and lawlessness in the Palestinian territories," Abu Housa said.

The Palestinian Authority has had the death penalty in place since its establishment in 1994. However, late leader Yasser Arafat stopped authorizing executions after international human rights groups criticized the Palestinian use of the death penalty.

The Palestinian security forces have been weakened significantly during more than four years of fighting with Israel. Armed men wander the streets fomenting violence and getting in shootouts with security forces.

Despite Israeli and U.S. demands that Abbas disarm militant groups, he has so far refused to do so, saying that his security forces are not strong enough to confront the armed factions. Instead, he has sought to co-opt the groups, reaching temporary truce deals with them, leading to a lull in fighting with Israel.

However, the lawlessness in the Palestinian areas has continued. Just in the past week, at least two gunbattles erupted in Gaza between security forces and militants.

"Retreat, hell! We just got here!"-Captain Lloyd Williams, 2nd Marine Division, Belleau Wood, France, WWI