25 February 2013
Last updated at 11:30 GMT
Tensions high amid West Bank funeral
The funeral of a Palestinian who died in Israeli custody on
Saturday, fuelling riots, is held in the West Bank, amid heightened
tension.
Palestinian militants vowed to avenge Jaradat's death
The
funeral of a Palestinian whose death in Israeli custody on Saturday
fuelled riots has been held in a village in the West Bank.
Palestinians say Arafat Jaradat, 30, died from torture, while
Israel says a post-mortem was inconclusive and that investigations into
his death continue.There were clashes across the West Bank on Sunday, while prisoners refused food in protest at Mr Jaradat's death.
It follows days of violence amid protests over Palestinian detainees.
Mr Jaradat, from Saeer, near Hebron, was arrested last week for throwing a rock which injured an Israeli citizen, Israel's internal security agency Shin Bet said.
The father-of-two died six days later at Megiddo prison, from what the Israel Prison Service (IPS) said appeared to be a heart attack.
Palestinian officials, however, said an autopsy, carried out by Israeli physicians showed he had suffered two broken ribs and had bruising.
"[Arafat Jaradat] faced harsh torture, leading to his immediate, direct death. Israel is fully responsible for his killing,'' Palestinian minister of prisoner affairs Issa Karake said.
Israel's health ministry said the injuries were likely the result of attempts to resuscitate Mr Jaradat, and that the cause of his death had not been determined by the post-mortem.
'Unequivocal demand' Thousands of Palestinians - many waving Palestinian flags - packed the streets in Saeer as the funeral took place.
Militants from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, to which Mr Jaradat belonged, fired into the air and vowed to avenge his death, AFP news agency reported.
Continue reading the main story
The streets and roof-tops of the small village of Saeer were
packed with people as Arafat Jaradat's body was carried towards the
grave. Gunmen fired into the air.
There's real anger here. Palestinians believe Mr Jaradat was tortured before he died in an Israeli prison. Israel disputes this. But this comes after a week where tension has already been building across the West Bank.
More than 150 people have been injured in clashes between the Israeli army and Palestinian protesters angry at the continued detention of four Palestinian hunger strikers in Israel jails.
There's a fear that Mr Jaradat's death could fuel the fire. In the Israel media there is much speculation about the possibility of a third intifada (uprising) but many Palestinians will tell you there is little appetite for this.
But this comes just weeks before President Obama is due in the region and with no progress in Middle East peace talks for years.
At the scene
There's real anger here. Palestinians believe Mr Jaradat was tortured before he died in an Israeli prison. Israel disputes this. But this comes after a week where tension has already been building across the West Bank.
More than 150 people have been injured in clashes between the Israeli army and Palestinian protesters angry at the continued detention of four Palestinian hunger strikers in Israel jails.
There's a fear that Mr Jaradat's death could fuel the fire. In the Israel media there is much speculation about the possibility of a third intifada (uprising) but many Palestinians will tell you there is little appetite for this.
But this comes just weeks before President Obama is due in the region and with no progress in Middle East peace talks for years.
"This horrific crime will not go
unpunished and we promise the Zionist occupation that we will respond to
this crime," it said in a statement distributed at the scene, the
agency said.
Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior aide to Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas, said Israel's treatment of prisoners and violence by
Jewish settlers were to blame for the upsurge in anger.Israel's security minister Avi Dichter, however, accused the Palestinians of fomenting violence and "trying to drag us to a situation where there will be dead children".
Mr Dichter voiced concern that clashes could escalate into a third intifada (uprising), telling Israel Radio high numbers of deaths had preceded both previous uprisings.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made "an unequivocal demand" to the Palestinian Authority to calm the surge of protests, a statement from his office said.
Almost all 4,500 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails refused food on Sunday in protest at Mr Jaradat's death, an IPS spokeswoman told AFP.
The issue of Palestinian prisoners has been prominent for days, with clashes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem last week amid protests over the the continued detention of four hunger strikers.
The clashes continued on Sunday, fuelled by news of Mr Jaradat's death.
Stone-throwing protesters in the West Bank towns of Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin and elsewhere faced off with Israeli soldiers deploying tear gas and stun grenades.
One Palestinian man was said to have been seriously wounded after being hit with live rounds.
In Gaza City, women gathered with flags and posters to protest at the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário