A SENIOR PALESTINIAN official has died after a physical confrontation with Israeli forces in the West Bank.
The Palestinian leadership vowed to respond to what president Mahmoud Abbas called the “brutal assault” on cabinet minister Ziad Abu Ein.
The confrontation erupted as Abu Ein took part in a march of about 300 Palestinians who intended to plant olive trees as a symbolic act of protest against Israeli settlements.
The group was confronted by Israeli soldiers and paramilitary border police in the West Bank village of Turmusayya. Tear gas was fired, three soldiers grabbed Abu Ein and he was struck in the chest.
Abu Ein fell and an Israeli army doctor rushed to treat him before he was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Israeli military said it had proposed a joint investigation with the Palestinians.
A statement said Israeli forces had been confronted with “approximately 200 rioters”.
European Union foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini said reports of excessive use of force by Israeli troops were “extremely worrying”, and demanded an “immediate, independent” inquiry.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon called on Israel “to conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the circumstances of the brutal death,” of Abu Ein.
Speaking in the Dáil this evening as TDs passed a motion calling on the Government to recognise a Palestinian state, Foreign Affairs Minster Charlie Flanagan said he wished “to deplore in the strongest possible terms the death of Ziad Abu Ein.”
“I personally conveyed my condolences to the Palestinian Ambassador Head of Mission, who is here this evening, my deep concern and the deep concern of the Irish people. I have made it clear to the Israeli Government.”
Paul Murphy TD said that “tonight the Palestinian people will be mourning the death of Minister Ziad Abu Ein”.
“It epitomises what Palestinian people face, he was participating in a peaceful protest in planting tress,” said Murphy.
© – AFP 2014 with reporting from Rónán Duffy
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say