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Palestinian officials have denied any involvement in the killings.

But Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has justified the death penalty, saying Palestinians who sold land to Jews were "traitors." A Palestinian official has also repeatedly justified the new law.

Palestinian security forces have arrested four residents of Hebron and two residents of villages in the Hebron area on suspicion of selling land to Jews, Khaled Al-Kidra, the Palestinian Authority attorney general, said last week.

A spokesman for the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza said the line was intended to help Arabs who felt threatened and sought financial assistance or physical protection.

The spokesman, Yehiel Leiter, told Israel Radio that some Arabs had turned informally to Jewish settlers for help.

He said that all information would be passed on to Israeli security forces.