Hebron – Ma'an – The southern West Bank Military court convicted a youth of collaborating with Israel last week, but overruled the death penalty in favor of a seven-year sentence because the accused was a minor, court officials said.

Article 131 of the Palestinian Military Code (1979) sets the death penalty for those found guilty of collaborating with Israel, though the death penalty must be confirmed by the Palestinian president, and is rarely carried out.

Five others were convicted of the lesser crime of "opposing the policies of the Palestinian revolution" and sentenced to six months in prison, while four had their charges thrown out due to lack of evidence.

One of the four was found guilty of assaulting a Palestinian intelligence officer while in custody and sentenced to eight months in prison.