- Was reportedly shoved and grabbed by the neck.
Ziad Abu Ein, 55, a minister without portfolio, died shortly after an Israeli border policeman shoved and grabbed him by the throat during a protest in the West Bank, an incident that has so far received grave condemnation from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He was reportedly among scores of Palestinian and foreign activists who were confronted at an Israeli checkpoint in the occupied Palestinian territory while heading to a demonstration against Jewish settlements.
Around 30 Israeli soldiers and border policemen fired tear gas and sound grenades at the group and a scuffle ensued in which one border policeman pushed Abu Ein and grabbed his neck firmly with one hand. Minutes later the minister began to look faint and fell to the ground clasping his chest. He died en route to the hospital. An autopsy is being carried out with Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian pathologists present to determine the cause of his death. The incident comes at a time of heightened tension between Israel and the Palestinians, following months of violent unrest.
A leader of Palestinian civil society groups for decades, Abu Ein was a regular attendee of non-violent protests and was appointed this year to head a government-backed protest group, the Committee to Resist Settlements and the Wall. Shortly before his death, Abu Ein was reportedly sounding hoarse and short of breath while talking to reporters. The Palestinian President has since announced three days of mourning and vowed that steps will be taken after a proper investigation is conducted. The Israeli Military has since promised an investigation as well.
Extracted and modified from Yahoo News.
