Gaza City, Gaza Strip, June 12, SPA -- The Palestinian securityforces executed on Sunday four men convicted of murder,three of them by hanging, an Interior Ministry spokesmansaid. The executions, the first since 2001, are part of thePalestinian Authority's attempt to rein in lawlessness thathas plagued the West Bank and Gaza Strip during the pastfour years of fighting with Israel, said spokesman TawfiqAbu Housa. The four men executed were convicted of murder andsentenced to death by Palestinian courts, Abu Housa said.Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas signed the executionorders on Saturday, he added. Three of the men were hangedand one was killed by a firing squad, The Associated Press reported. "There is a new policy of enforcing the law to face andfight the chaos and lawlessness in the Palestinianterritories," Abu Housa said.--SPA1053 Local Time 0753 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/269202