Exclusive: Gazans shocked at how many neighbors, coworkers, officials are 'spying' for Israel

[oberliner]

An intelligence source says that the number of Gazans arrested by Hamas for collaborating with Israel are in the 'high hundreds.'

Excerpt:

Concerns about due process, treatment of detainees

Rumors and panic reached a fever pitch over the summer when the government began arresting people while shrouding the campaign in secrecy. Because officials wouldn’t say why anyone was arrested, people arrested for other crimes were sometimes falsely branded collaborators, a charge that carries a high price in Gazan society.

Issam Younis, director of Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, says government officials were inept at managing the crisis of public opinion, contributing to the rumors and fear that peaked several months ago. He downplays the social effects of the campaign, saying that distrust has subsided and is not epidemic. But he does have other concerns, including due process and humane treatment of detainees.

Many of those accused of collaborating are tortured, and Mr. Younis says confessions extracted by coercion or torture are common. Additionally, collaborators are tried in military, rather than civilian courts, which Younis says deprives them of rights. And the Hamas government’s execution of collaborators is done technically outside the law, since the law requires a death sentence be authorized by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. That hasn’t been obtained because of the split between Hamas and Fatah.

Because of the secrecy surrounding the campaign, it is also unclear whether the government is using it to punish political enemies. Younis says he has not heard complaints of this, though the intelligence source said many of those arrested belonged to Fatah.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2010/1119/Exclusive-Gazans-shocked-at-how-many-neighbors-coworkers-officials-are-spying-for-Israel/(page)/2

[Ken Burch]

1. Shin Bet and Mossad have always been good at "turning" Palestinians

into spies.

It needs to be pointed out that those who are "turned" have not become supporters of the Israeli government, and that none of them will ever play a positive role in any effort to achieve reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis.

Generally, the average Palestinian who informs on other Palestinians for the Israelis is doing so to settle a score or because he or she wasn't allowed to join them militia group of their wishes.

[oberliner]

3. I think you missed the point of the article

They aren't actually working for Israel - this is Hamas arresting Fatah members with whom they have a problem under the pretext of "spying" for Israel.

[CJvR]

2. Since it is Hamas...

Since it is Hamas it could just be a thinnly cloaked standard purge of undesirables and heretics.

[oberliner]

4. My thoughts exactly nt