A Palestinian man has been sentenced to death by hanging for selling land in the West Bank to Israelis.

Prosecutors at the Palestinian court in Hebron said on Wednesday the man had sold land that did not belong to him in the village of Beit Omar, a move regarded as treason by the Palestinian Authority.

Nour Odeh, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in the West Bank, said: "The reason why this transaction is considered an act of treason is because it is being sold to Israeli settlers who are literally taking up Palestinian land that does not belong to them.

"They are settling in the West Bank against international law, and in effect, undermining Palestinian aspirations for statehood.

She said it remained to be seen whether Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, president will sign the execution order.

The identity of the man has not been released in order to protect is family from shame and being isolated from the public, Odeh said.

The general public has been pleased with this outcome," Odeh said. "Because they feel no Palestinian has the right to contribute to the ongoing Israeli occupation."
 
(Aljazeera.net English)