If anyone needed any demonstration of kind of freedom that the BBC’s “brave Palestinian fighters” are fighting Israel for, here it is…to have a Taliban lifestyle imposed on themselves.

Using screen shots of a customer’s Facebook profile, owners of a West Bank internet cafe helped Palestinian intelligence forces capture a man accused of heresy.

According to sources quoted in the story, residents of both Gaza and the West Bank face ongoing scrutiny of their online activities; in Gaza, “Internet cafe owners are forced to monitor customers’ online activity and alert intelligence officials if they see anything critical of the militant group or that violates Hamas’ stern interpretation of Islam.

The media in the Palestinian Authority, as in the Arab world in general, are largely government-controlled, driving dissenting voices to the relative freedom of the Internet. The blogger’s arrest showed a willingness on the part of the Palestinian government to clamp down on freedom of speech on the Web as well. He now faces a potential life prison sentence on heresy charges for “insulting the divine essence.”

Many in this conservative Muslim town say that isn’t enough, and suggested he should be killed for renouncing Islam. Even family members say he should remain behind bars for life.

“He should be burned to death,” said Abdul-Latif Dahoud, a 35-year-old Qalqiliya resident. The execution should take place in public “to be an example to others,” he added.

Stoning, eh? Good enough for him, but not good enough for race-baiter Yasmin Alibhai-Brown who is a bit snobby about these things. Remember that nonsense kicked off because she told R5 that we shouldn’t judge countries that stone people (but just not her, apparently).

Seems like a good time for a re-posting of these examples of Hamas tolerance:

Picture from the unbeatable GrumpyOldTwat