Jenin (West Bank):
A Palestinian woman could face the death penalty after prosecutors charged her with spying for Israel, said court officials, in a rare development.
Palestinian men have been convicted of collaborating with Israel, but few women have been charged before.
Palestinian prosecution said it plans to ask for her execution, though death penalties are rarely carried out.
Court officials on Sunday said that the 22-year-old woman worked as a collaborator after obtaining a divorce from her husband, who forced her to work as a prostitute, making her a social outcast in Palestinian society.
The officials asked not to be named because they were not allowed to speak to reporters.
The young woman, wearing a white scarf across her face, a shirt and jeans was escorted out of a courtroom, flanked by Palestinian policewomen, after military judges delayed their decision on her case until later this month.
Palestinian military judge Abdul Karim al-Masri said the woman confessed to passing low-level information and refused a lawyer.
"She didn't hurt anybody except herself," he said.
The issue of collaborators is sensitive, because Palestinian militants have been arrested or killed by Israeli forces based on their information and those suspected of working with Israel were once shot dead in the streets.
Palestinian men have been convicted of collaborating with Israel, but few women have been charged before.
Palestinian prosecution said it plans to ask for her execution, though death penalties are rarely carried out.
Court officials on Sunday said that the 22-year-old woman worked as a collaborator after obtaining a divorce from her husband, who forced her to work as a prostitute, making her a social outcast in Palestinian society.
The officials asked not to be named because they were not allowed to speak to reporters.
The young woman, wearing a white scarf across her face, a shirt and jeans was escorted out of a courtroom, flanked by Palestinian policewomen, after military judges delayed their decision on her case until later this month.
Palestinian military judge Abdul Karim al-Masri said the woman confessed to passing low-level information and refused a lawyer.
"She didn't hurt anybody except herself," he said.
The issue of collaborators is sensitive, because Palestinian militants have been arrested or killed by Israeli forces based on their information and those suspected of working with Israel were once shot dead in the streets.
