Peculiar Palestinians

No, I don't think Peculiar is a strong enough word, especially when I read this in the Jerusalem Post(Via Best of the Web):

In the first decision of its kind since he succeeded Yasser Arafat, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has ratified death sentences against three Palestinians found guilty of "collaboration" with Israel.

It is not clear when the three men, whose identities were not revealed, will be executed by firing squad.

However, senior PA officials told The Jerusalem Post that the three were Gaza Strip residents who had been convicted of "high treason" for tipping off Israeli security.

Sakher Bsaisso, a senior Fatah official who also serves as PA governor of the northern Gaza Strip, confirmed on Wednesday that Abbas had authorized death sentences against three alleged "collaborators."

Bsaisso said the three had been convicted of assisting Israel in the assassination of a number of Palestinian activists in the Gaza Strip over the past four years, but refused to elaborate.
....
At least 51 Palestinians are on death row, including several suspected "collaborators." Under pressure to crack down on an upsurge in crime and anarchy in PA-controlled areas, Abbas earlier this month instructed the mufti to quickly review the cases of the convicts so that the executions may be carried out as soon as possible.

When Arafat died, my concern was that the Palestinians would elect a new terrorist and we [The United States] would be forced to deal with him as if he was not a terrorist, until the point when we were forced to admit that he was indeed a terrorist - like we eventually did with Arafat.

I think Taranto agrees when he says:

Abbas, as the leader of the Palestinian protostate, is supposed to be responsible for stopping his people from attacking Israel. Instead he plans to kill fellow Palestinians who take steps to stop attacks on Israel. Is he bucking for a Nobel Peace Prize?

And that is indeed the sad irony. Abbas allows the execution of those who help Israel fight back, but does nothing for those who fought on Israel...and yet is just as likely to win the Peace Prize. Arafat won it after all - terrorist tendencies and all.