This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/senior-palestinian-official-dies-after-clash-with-israeli-forces-in-west-bank/2014/12/10/451f4616-8060-11e4-9f38-95a187e4c1f7_story.html?wprss=rss_world
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Senior Palestinian official dies after clash with Israeli forces in West Bank | Senior Palestinian official dies after clash with Israeli forces in West Bank |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| RAMALLAH, West Bank — A Palestinian cabinet member who led a committee that opposed Jewish settlements died Wednesday after a confrontation with Israeli forces at a protest in the West Bank, officials said, touching off outrage from the Palestinian leadership and an appeal by a U.N. envoy for a full Israeli probe. | RAMALLAH, West Bank — A Palestinian cabinet member who led a committee that opposed Jewish settlements died Wednesday after a confrontation with Israeli forces at a protest in the West Bank, officials said, touching off outrage from the Palestinian leadership and an appeal by a U.N. envoy for a full Israeli probe. |
| The death of Ziad Abu Ein also sharpened tensions after a recent wave of terrorist attacks and clashes set in motion by showdowns over a contested holy site in Jerusalem. | The death of Ziad Abu Ein also sharpened tensions after a recent wave of terrorist attacks and clashes set in motion by showdowns over a contested holy site in Jerusalem. |
| The details of the incident were not immediately clear. | The details of the incident were not immediately clear. |
| The Israeli military said it was investigating. It said its “forces had attempted to halt the progress of the rioters” toward a nearby Israeli outpost by “using riot dispersal means.” | The Israeli military said it was investigating. It said its “forces had attempted to halt the progress of the rioters” toward a nearby Israeli outpost by “using riot dispersal means.” |
| Some witnesses said Israeli forces fired tear gas near the demonstrators, suggesting that Abu Ein could have been hit by a canister. Other reports quoted witnesses as saying that he was struck by an Israeli soldier’s rifle butt. | Some witnesses said Israeli forces fired tear gas near the demonstrators, suggesting that Abu Ein could have been hit by a canister. Other reports quoted witnesses as saying that he was struck by an Israeli soldier’s rifle butt. |
| Images posted by Sky News Arabia show an Israeli soldier apparently holding the 55-year-old near the neck. A video clip shows Abu Ein on the ground and clutching his chest behind a row of Israeli troops facing off against protesters near the West Bank village of Turmus Aya, where the march was held to protest land seizures. | Images posted by Sky News Arabia show an Israeli soldier apparently holding the 55-year-old near the neck. A video clip shows Abu Ein on the ground and clutching his chest behind a row of Israeli troops facing off against protesters near the West Bank village of Turmus Aya, where the march was held to protest land seizures. |
| He died after being taken to receive medical treatment. | He died after being taken to receive medical treatment. |
| One of Abu Ein’s assistants, Mohammed Muhaisan, who was with him at the protest, said the goal had been to plant olive trees in the area. He said a large number of pro-Palestinian activists and international observers had been present at the march and witnessed the confrontation between the minister and Israeli border police. | One of Abu Ein’s assistants, Mohammed Muhaisan, who was with him at the protest, said the goal had been to plant olive trees in the area. He said a large number of pro-Palestinian activists and international observers had been present at the march and witnessed the confrontation between the minister and Israeli border police. |
| Muhaisan said two incidents occurred. Initially, he said, the minister exchanged harsh words with a border police officer. A few minutes later, Muhaisan said, Abu Ein was subjected to a “karate chop” in the neck and “hit with a punch or a helmet.” | Muhaisan said two incidents occurred. Initially, he said, the minister exchanged harsh words with a border police officer. A few minutes later, Muhaisan said, Abu Ein was subjected to a “karate chop” in the neck and “hit with a punch or a helmet.” |
| The aide also said that large amounts of tear gas was fired at the crowd, causing the minister to fall to the ground and turn rigid. Muhaisan said Abu Ein was immediately taken by ambulance to a local clinic and then to a hospital in central Ramallah. At that point, he said, the minister was unresponsive. | The aide also said that large amounts of tear gas was fired at the crowd, causing the minister to fall to the ground and turn rigid. Muhaisan said Abu Ein was immediately taken by ambulance to a local clinic and then to a hospital in central Ramallah. At that point, he said, the minister was unresponsive. |
| A reporter for Israel’s Channel 10, Roy Sharon, posted a Twitter message saying that he did not see Abu Ein getting struck by the butt of a rifle and that, if a gun did hit him, it did not appear to be on purpose or significant. Sharon said he was standing near Abu Ein, who was appointed last year to lead opposition to Israeli settlements and the barrier separating Israel from the West Bank. | A reporter for Israel’s Channel 10, Roy Sharon, posted a Twitter message saying that he did not see Abu Ein getting struck by the butt of a rifle and that, if a gun did hit him, it did not appear to be on purpose or significant. Sharon said he was standing near Abu Ein, who was appointed last year to lead opposition to Israeli settlements and the barrier separating Israel from the West Bank. |
| Reut Mor, a spokeswoman for Yesh Din, an Israeli human rights organization whose members were present at the march, said that about 100 villagers had been making their way with flags and olive trees. The march coincided with the international Human Rights Day. The Israeli military placed the number of marchers at about 200. | |
| “It was a quiet march. There was no violence, no stones. People were holding flags and olive trees when suddenly the protesters met almost as many soldiers,” Mor said. “They stood in front of us and started shooting tear gas and stun grenades even though there was no violence from our side.” | “It was a quiet march. There was no violence, no stones. People were holding flags and olive trees when suddenly the protesters met almost as many soldiers,” Mor said. “They stood in front of us and started shooting tear gas and stun grenades even though there was no violence from our side.” |
| Palestinians frequently stage protests against Israeli settlements and unauthorized Jewish outposts in the West Bank, whose construction has continued despite objections from Washington and Israel’s allies in Europe. In comments broadcast Wednesday, Israel’s defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, predicted that settlement construction should pick up in the future because the Obama administration “won’t be around forever.” | Palestinians frequently stage protests against Israeli settlements and unauthorized Jewish outposts in the West Bank, whose construction has continued despite objections from Washington and Israel’s allies in Europe. In comments broadcast Wednesday, Israel’s defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, predicted that settlement construction should pick up in the future because the Obama administration “won’t be around forever.” |
| Palestinian leaders warned of major blows to already fraying relations with Israel. | Palestinian leaders warned of major blows to already fraying relations with Israel. |
| Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called Abu Ein’s death a “barbaric act” and declared a three-day mourning period. Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, demanded an “independent, neutral” investigation. | Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called Abu Ein’s death a “barbaric act” and declared a three-day mourning period. Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, demanded an “independent, neutral” investigation. |
| “Ziad was guilty of nothing more insidious than planting olive trees on Palestinian land that Israel was attempting to steal,” she said in a statement. | “Ziad was guilty of nothing more insidious than planting olive trees on Palestinian land that Israel was attempting to steal,” she said in a statement. |
| Israeli media reported that Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that rules the Gaza Strip, called on Abbas’s Fatah movement and the Palestinian Authority to cancel all security coordination with Israel. | Israeli media reported that Hamas, the militant Palestinian group that rules the Gaza Strip, called on Abbas’s Fatah movement and the Palestinian Authority to cancel all security coordination with Israel. |
| “The Israel government bears full responsibility for the killing of minister Abu Ein and the systematic crimes committed against the Palestinian people,” said Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian peace negotiator. “This new assassination will have severe consequences.” | “The Israel government bears full responsibility for the killing of minister Abu Ein and the systematic crimes committed against the Palestinian people,” said Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian peace negotiator. “This new assassination will have severe consequences.” |
| Palestinian officials said an autopsy would be performed to determine the cause of death. Abu Ein, who formerly served as the Palestinian Authority’s deputy minister of prisoners’ affairs, also suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure, his family said. But his brother Ala’a Abu Ein said that did not prevent him from regularly participating in protests. | Palestinian officials said an autopsy would be performed to determine the cause of death. Abu Ein, who formerly served as the Palestinian Authority’s deputy minister of prisoners’ affairs, also suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure, his family said. But his brother Ala’a Abu Ein said that did not prevent him from regularly participating in protests. |
| As family, friends and senior Palestinian officials gathered at a central mourning site for the minister, Ala’a Abu Ein said that it was still unclear whether an autopsy would be performed but that his brother had been subjected to a heavy amount of tear gas. | As family, friends and senior Palestinian officials gathered at a central mourning site for the minister, Ala’a Abu Ein said that it was still unclear whether an autopsy would be performed but that his brother had been subjected to a heavy amount of tear gas. |
| Ala’a Abu Ein described his brother as one of the leaders of the second intifada, or popular uprising, a decade ago, which included suicide bombings inside Israeli territory and a harsh Israeli military crackdown on Palestinians. | Ala’a Abu Ein described his brother as one of the leaders of the second intifada, or popular uprising, a decade ago, which included suicide bombings inside Israeli territory and a harsh Israeli military crackdown on Palestinians. |
| The U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Robert Serry, said he was deeply saddened by the minister’s death and urged Israeli authorities to conduct a “prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstance of his death.” | The U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Robert Serry, said he was deeply saddened by the minister’s death and urged Israeli authorities to conduct a “prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstance of his death.” |
| Israeli reports said Abu Ein was a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council, which is also known as the Abu Nidal Organization, which carried out terror attacks in the 1980s. | Israeli reports said Abu Ein was a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council, which is also known as the Abu Nidal Organization, which carried out terror attacks in the 1980s. |
| It remains on the State Department’s official list of foreign terrorist organizations, although it is thought to be largely inactive at present. | It remains on the State Department’s official list of foreign terrorist organizations, although it is thought to be largely inactive at present. |
| Abu Ein was handed a life sentence in Israel in 1982 after being extradited from the United States over the killing of two Israelis in Tiberias in 1979. He was released in a prisoner swap in 1985. | Abu Ein was handed a life sentence in Israel in 1982 after being extradited from the United States over the killing of two Israelis in Tiberias in 1979. He was released in a prisoner swap in 1985. |
| During the second Palestinian uprising, he spent a year in detention in 2002 without charges filed, the Associated Press reported. | During the second Palestinian uprising, he spent a year in detention in 2002 without charges filed, the Associated Press reported. |
| Tensions have been running high in the region since the 50-day day between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in the summer and over continuing disputes stemming from access to an area known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslim — an site holy to both faiths. | Tensions have been running high in the region since the 50-day day between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in the summer and over continuing disputes stemming from access to an area known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslim — an site holy to both faiths. |
| A series of clashes and bloodshed followed, including a Palestinian attack last month that left five people dead at a Jerusalem synagogue, including three American-born Israelis. | A series of clashes and bloodshed followed, including a Palestinian attack last month that left five people dead at a Jerusalem synagogue, including three American-born Israelis. |
| Eglash reported from Jerusalem and Murphy from Washington. | Eglash reported from Jerusalem and Murphy from Washington. |