Palestinians Execute 'Collaborator' in Town Square

Reuters ^ | 7/2/04 | Wael al-Ahmad

[TexKat]

QABATIYA, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian militants publicly executed an accused collaborator with Israel with machineguns in a West Bank town square on Friday after a throng of Palestinian onlookers called for him to die.

Wild celebrations broke out among the hundreds of spectators after four gunmen from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, part of President Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, shot father-of-two Muhammad Rafiq Daraghmeh, 45, in Qabatiya.

Militants had hustled Daraghmeh into the square before assembled townsfolk and told them: "This man, as you know ... gave information to Israel on the whereabouts of our fighters. What should his sentence be?"

"Execution!" roared the crowd.

The militants gunned down Daraghmeh seconds later and residents both young and old cheered and chanted around his prone, bloodied corpse. A Reuters correspondent witnessed the execution.

Militant groups have killed at least 30 compatriots accused of being informers for Israeli forces fighting an almost four-year-old revolt in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, lands Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Qabatiya residents said Daraghmeh had guided soldiers to hideouts of militants where they were captured or killed.

"It was necessary to make (Daraghmeh) an example for others to deter them from collaborating," said Jamal Abu Rab, local commander of the Brigades and regarded as the town's strongman.

A relative of Daraghmeh said he had been disowned by his clan. "What he did was shameful. We considered him no longer one of us. We don't know if we will even retrieve his body for burial," said the cousin, who asked not to be named.

But some residents were quietly critical of the execution. "Daraghmeh should have been tried in a Palestinian court so he could defend himself. Only a judge can pass sentence, to avoid random killing," said a town worker.

Palestinian Authority officials also voiced dismay.

"We want every act to be carried out via legal channels and oppose anyone who behaves otherwise. However, we are incapable of enforcing law and order in Palestinian areas (subject to) occupation," said Local Government Minister Jamal al-Shobaki.

SPREADING VIGILANTISM

Militants defend executions of collaborators by saying Palestinian security forces are powerless to act because they have been crippled by the Israeli army clampdown on the uprising for statehood, or by their own internal feuding.

The Authority has bemoaned spreading vigilantism but also Israel's assassinations of many prominent militant faction leaders in air strikes.

Israel's increasing success in pinpointing the shadowy movements of militant leaders and pre-empting suicide bombings by catching perpetrators en route to their targets is due partly to an effective network of Palestinian informers.

Dozens of suspected informers have been in Authority jails for years while others increasingly fear for their lives since Israel tracked down and killed Hamas leaders Sheik Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi in Gaza in March and April.

Many alleged turncoats have been motivated by money in an impoverished region with massive unemployment, Palestinian security officials say. Rare travel privileges and sexual inducements have also been reported.

Security officials have urged militants to turn over suspects for investigation and prosecution rather than engage in vigilantism often driven by rumor or a desire to settle scores.

[TexKat]

Palestinian militants publicly executed an accused collaborator with Israel with machineguns in a West Bank town square on July 2, 2004 after a throng of Palestinian onlookers called for him to die. Wild celebrations broke out among the hundreds of spectators after four gunmen from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, part of President Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, shot father-of-two Muhammad Rafiq Daraghmeh, 45, in Qabatiya. A masked Palestinian from the Islamic militant group Hamas marches during an anti-Israel protest in Gaza in this June 29, 2004 file photo. Photo by Suhaib Salem/Reuters

[nuffsenuff]

Of course, the best course of action would be to wipe ou the entire town of Qabatiya, since it's obvious the majority of the people there are terrorist sympathizers (and savages). But it won't happen.

[RolandBurnam]

They are ready for a palestinian state - riiiiiiight. These are nothing more than animals.

[AngryJawa]

Shouldn't be any problems whatsoever in Israel making peace with these folks, right?

The pallie "culture" is broken beyond repair.

[Fiddlstix]

[Red Badger]

The palestinians are animals.........

[Slings and Arrows]

"Palestinian" justice - it may not be just, but it's damn sure "Palestinian."

[SirLurkedalot]

You put that on a t-shirt and I'll buy one.

[SirLurkedalot]

You meant to say "Jordanian",right?

[af_vet_1981]

The town of QABATIYA should be utterly destroyed so that no stone stands upon another.

[Robe]

*

[adam_az]

"I will wage war for Allah with my Holy Traffic Cone Missile!"

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[BayouCoyote]

BUMP.

[Paul_B]

These people don't deserve weapons. Too bad they have them, post-Helsinki.

[AppyPappy]

BRING OUT THE GIANT CRAYON OF DEATH!!!!

[tet68]

"We want every act to be carried out via legal channels and oppose anyone who behaves otherwise. However, we are incapable of enforcing law and order in Palestinian areas (subject to) occupation,"

In other words, "If it weren't for the Joooos, this wouldn't have happened!".

Palestinians! Spit.

[claudiustg]

This same group executed a widow and her eldest daughter about two years ago as collaborators. That left the three younger children orphans. Some time before that they had executed her husband as a collaborator. They whipped the young son with an electrical cord to force him to betray his mother.

[gedeon3]

I'm sure the U.N.,the red cross, ammnesty international, and all human rights groups around the world, will protest this murder, and demand justice. But after all, they did not put a womans underware on the man's head. (sarcasm)

[PreviouslyA-Lurker]

Well said!