Meryl Yourish has cobbled together a thirteen page summary (via Human Rights Watch) of the rights records of the member countries of the UN Human Rights Commission (among others). Fascinating stuff. Here’s a bit of what she’s excerpted on the Palestinian Authority (you’ll find more on her site):

the Palestinian Authority executive branch — including President Yasser Arafat, his ministers, police, and various security forces –has seriously undermined the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law […] as of September 2001, the Palestinian Authority (PA) was holding about 450 people in detention without charge or trial. Most were suspected of being informants for Israeli security forces; others were alleged to have sold Palestinian land to Israelis. The PA has done virtually nothing to identify the perpetrators of about thirty vigilante-style executions […] The report, charges the PA with failing to bring to justice militants who have attacked Israeli civilians.

Say it ain’t so, Yasser!

Arafat: “‘It ain’t so, Yasser.’ [rimshot] Dank you, you are all too kind. I’ll be hchear all da week. Unless the Jews get really angry, that is, and blow my shit all to bits…”