The Head of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service...

The Head of the Palestinian Military Intelligence Service Staff Major-General Musa Arafat al-Qudwah stressed that in order to counter Israeli intelligence penetration, "it was necessary increase some of the sentences up to the death penalty to deter other agents" from collaborating with the Israelis. "Indeed, the Israeli intelligence-gathering capability was severely damaged in the PNA areas after death sentences were issued and when death sentences against two persons were carried out," he said. Al-Qudwah accused human rights organisations which protested against the death penalty of "being against the Palestinian National Authority and the Arab states".