Palestinian minister dies at West Bank protest
- 10 years ago
A Palestinian minister has died following a confrontation with Israeli troops at a West Bank protest.
The images in the video above were filmed at the demo, shortly before Ziad Abu Ein died.
Palestinian medics say he died from inhaling tear gas. A photographer from the Reuters news agency said soldiers had shoved the minister. The Israeli military said it would investigate the reports.
Abu Ein, a minister without portfolio, had been with 100 other activists at a protest organised by the Committee to Resist Land Settlements and the Wall.
They were planning to plant olive trees near the Jewish settlement of Shilo, when a confrontation with soldiers began.
The troops fired tear gas and scuffles erupted. Abu Ein was rushed to hospital by ambulance but died en route to Ramallah.
His death could serve to heighten tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, which have flared into deadly confrontations in recent weeks.
Shops in Ramallah closed in protest at Abu Ein’s death.
The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, called the minister’s death “a barbaric act which we cannot be silent about or accept”. He declared three days of national mourning.
The images in the video above were filmed at the demo, shortly before Ziad Abu Ein died.
Palestinian medics say he died from inhaling tear gas. A photographer from the Reuters news agency said soldiers had shoved the minister. The Israeli military said it would investigate the reports.
Abu Ein, a minister without portfolio, had been with 100 other activists at a protest organised by the Committee to Resist Land Settlements and the Wall.
They were planning to plant olive trees near the Jewish settlement of Shilo, when a confrontation with soldiers began.
The troops fired tear gas and scuffles erupted. Abu Ein was rushed to hospital by ambulance but died en route to Ramallah.
His death could serve to heighten tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, which have flared into deadly confrontations in recent weeks.
Shops in Ramallah closed in protest at Abu Ein’s death.
The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, called the minister’s death “a barbaric act which we cannot be silent about or accept”. He declared three days of national mourning.