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| Palestinian minister buried amid tensions over cause of death | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A Palestinian government minister who died after a confrontation with Israeli soldiers has been buried in Ramallah, amid a dispute over the cause of death. | |
| Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Ziad Abu Ein was suffocated and beaten by Israeli soldiers. | |
| Israel, however, says Mr Abu Ein, 55, had a heart condition and suffered a heart attack brought on by stress. | |
| He died on Wednesday shortly after an Israeli policeman grabbed him by the throat at a protest in the West Bank. | |
| Ziad Abu Ein's funeral was held on Thursday with full military honours in Ramallah. | |
| Thousands of people joined the procession from the presidential headquarters to a nearby cemetery, with the sounds of drums and bagpipes filling the air, as well as sporadic gunfire. | |
| 'In cold blood' | |
| Earlier in the day, Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian pathologists attended a preliminary post-mortem on Mr Abu Ein, but Israel and the Palestinians issued differing accounts. | |
| Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat told the BBC his death was caused by "Israeli soldiers suffocating and beating up Ziad Abu Ein", saying he held the Israeli government fully responsible. | |
| "The autopsy report was very clear cut Ziad Abu Ein was killed, was killed in cold blood," he said. | |
| But Israel's ministry of health said the post-mortem showed Mr Abu Ein had underlying heart problems, and the immediate cause of death was a blockage to a cardiac artery. | |
| In a statement it said Mr Abu Ein also suffered injuries to his neck. Images from the scene of Wednesday's protest showed him being grabbed by the throat by an Israeli border guard. | In a statement it said Mr Abu Ein also suffered injuries to his neck. Images from the scene of Wednesday's protest showed him being grabbed by the throat by an Israeli border guard. |
| Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed Israeli official familiar with the results of the post-mortem as saying the minister's death was "brought on by stress... The stress may have been brought on by him being grabbed by the neck". | Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed Israeli official familiar with the results of the post-mortem as saying the minister's death was "brought on by stress... The stress may have been brought on by him being grabbed by the neck". |
| Call for restraint | Call for restraint |
| Footage and images from the scene of the protest, near the unauthorised Jewish outpost of Adei Ad, showed a standoff at close-quarters between troops and Palestinians, followed by a scuffle between a protester and a soldier. | Footage and images from the scene of the protest, near the unauthorised Jewish outpost of Adei Ad, showed a standoff at close-quarters between troops and Palestinians, followed by a scuffle between a protester and a soldier. |
| At one point Mr Abu Ein is seen being pushed by his throat by the border guard. He is subsequently seen collapsed on the ground. | At one point Mr Abu Ein is seen being pushed by his throat by the border guard. He is subsequently seen collapsed on the ground. |
| A Sky News reporter at the scene tweeted that an Israeli medic tried to see to Mr Abu Ein but the minister was rushed by Palestinians to a vehicle. He was later taken to hospital in Ramallah but died on the way. | A Sky News reporter at the scene tweeted that an Israeli medic tried to see to Mr Abu Ein but the minister was rushed by Palestinians to a vehicle. He was later taken to hospital in Ramallah but died on the way. |
| Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Mr Abu Ein was the victim of a "clear crime'' and a "barbaric act''. | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Mr Abu Ein was the victim of a "clear crime'' and a "barbaric act''. |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for an investigation into the death and urged "all sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid escalation". | UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for an investigation into the death and urged "all sides to exercise maximum restraint and avoid escalation". |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu passed a message to the Palestinian Authority saying that Israel would investigate the incident, while urging a "need to calm down the situation and act responsibly". | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu passed a message to the Palestinian Authority saying that Israel would investigate the incident, while urging a "need to calm down the situation and act responsibly". |
| Israeli Maj Gen Yoav Mordechai said all the soldiers who were involved in the incident would be questioned and Israel would apologise if it concluded a mistake had been made. | Israeli Maj Gen Yoav Mordechai said all the soldiers who were involved in the incident would be questioned and Israel would apologise if it concluded a mistake had been made. |
| As tensions grew, the Israeli military beefed up its forces in West Bank in case of violence. | As tensions grew, the Israeli military beefed up its forces in West Bank in case of violence. |
| Tear gas | Tear gas |
| Mr Abu Ein was among dozens of foreign and Palestinian activists taking part in a protest against land confiscations. | Mr Abu Ein was among dozens of foreign and Palestinian activists taking part in a protest against land confiscations. |
| They had planned to plant olive tree saplings on a patch of land near the Jewish settlement of Shiloh, which Palestinians believe has been earmarked for annexation by Israel. | They had planned to plant olive tree saplings on a patch of land near the Jewish settlement of Shiloh, which Palestinians believe has been earmarked for annexation by Israel. |
| Several dozen protesters marched from the village of Turmusaya towards Adei Ad, about 5km (3 miles) south-east of Shiloh, where they were stopped by soldiers and border police. | Several dozen protesters marched from the village of Turmusaya towards Adei Ad, about 5km (3 miles) south-east of Shiloh, where they were stopped by soldiers and border police. |
| Palestinian witnesses and news agency journalists said tear gas was fired during the confrontation. | Palestinian witnesses and news agency journalists said tear gas was fired during the confrontation. |
| Palestinian activist Mahmoud Aloul said Mr Abu Ein was hit by a tear gas canister. | Palestinian activist Mahmoud Aloul said Mr Abu Ein was hit by a tear gas canister. |
| An Israel Defense Forces statement said troops had used "riot dispersal means" to stop about "200 rioters" advancing into the community of Adei Ad. | An Israel Defense Forces statement said troops had used "riot dispersal means" to stop about "200 rioters" advancing into the community of Adei Ad. |
| Mr Abu Ein, a minister without portfolio, was head of a department dealing with Israeli settlements and its West Bank barrier. | Mr Abu Ein, a minister without portfolio, was head of a department dealing with Israeli settlements and its West Bank barrier. |
| He once received a death sentence, commuted to life imprisonment, from a court in Israel for a 1979 bombing that killed two Israeli teenagers. | He once received a death sentence, commuted to life imprisonment, from a court in Israel for a 1979 bombing that killed two Israeli teenagers. |
| He was released in 1985 as part of a prisoner exchange that saw the release of three Israeli soldiers captured in Lebanon. | He was released in 1985 as part of a prisoner exchange that saw the release of three Israeli soldiers captured in Lebanon. |