Israel's informers - real and imagined

[oberliner]

The knowledge that thousands of Palestinians may be working covertly for Israel's internal security services is leading to paranoia and murder in the West Bank.

Adel Ahmed rarely has visitors to his home in the village of Kfar Deek in the West Bank.

He and his family are shunned by their neighbours.

"We don't have a relationship with anybody in this village," he says bitterly.

Adel and his family are considered to have committed the greatest crime in Palestinian society - collaboration with Israel.

He vigorously denies the charge. But he has paid heavily for his alleged crime, losing his livelihood, his social position and one of his sons.

Over cups of bitter coffee in the shabby and neglected lounge of his house Adel tells his story.

His trouble began, he claims, after his sister was molested by some Palestinian Authority officials.

He then complained to the government only to have the officials turn on him and accuse him of collaborating with the Israelis.

"It destroyed our family, alienated us and destroyed us," he says quietly.

Torture

Adel was arrested by the Palestinian Authority and according to him was tortured. Half his teeth were knocked out and his arm broken during his interrogation.

Then he says his eldest son was taken and also tortured. Next they came for his youngest boy - only 12 years old - who was subjected to similar treatment: his arms were burnt with melted plastic and cigarettes.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/6176337.stm

[idontwantaname]

1. treason

yes. collaborators are not very well liked in any nation i believe though perhaps in the 3rd world things are dealt with differently than the first.

from what ive heard and seen of this being a collaborator is not something someone wants or seeks out...
usually it is a lot of "detective" work on the palestinian side, someone will go "missing" having being detained by the IDF. she will "reappear" after hours or days(perhaps having been tortured as well). detainment is not uncommon so this sort of thing may or may not raise flags. though if something happens following a persons detention... a assassination or something which requires special knowledge, many will suspect theres a rat on the boat. so the process begins here of weeding out the collaborator. from what ive heard those who have collaborated with israel did it unwillingly at first after being tortured or threatened.

its fairly obvious theres no trial, judge or jury but the solution is simple... stop forcing palestinians to spy on their neighbors.

-----------------

One former Shin Bet agent who spoke off the record described the collaborators who used to work for him as lemons:

"You squeeze the lemon and it's got no juice left, you throw it away."

[oberliner]

2. But this person isn't actually a collaborator

His sister was molested by PA officials, he complained about it and then was accused of collaborating with the Israelis.

He was arrested and tortured. His two sons (one age 12) were arrested and tortured. His other son was found shot dead.

These are false charges of collaboration that resulted in torture and death.

Of course, that's according to this BBC article. If you have information that calls Adel Ahmed's account into question, please share by all means.

[idontwantaname]

5. thats where THIS story begins but i suspect theres more to it...

though as far as the story goes im confused who it is thats being blamed of collaboration... it is adel or shafi (his dead son?)

its not clear. unfortunately i dont have any info of this specific story though i will say that most of the time its the militias, not the PA, who deliver the "sentence" to the collaborator. its the militias who play judge, jury and executioner... not the govt.

[idontwantaname]

6. the process

i guess the govt sometimes has a hand in it too:
http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/010813/2001081307.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1713853.htm

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-08/02/content_356967.htm


http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2002/08/25/story65495.asp

id post more but i gotta go.

ps- i was in the west bank once when a collaborator was excecuted in the city square

[barb162]

4. What does treason have to do with this story

This guy is being screwed over by other Palestinians in government and so is his female relative

[barb162]

3. this poor guy...

"He then complained to the government only to have the officials turn on him and accuse him of collaborating with the Israelis."