Palestinian minister killed during Israeli operation was buried

The Palestinian minister Ziad Abu Ein (l.) confronting the Israeli army. AFP

Presidents, family and citizens gave the farewell with state honors today at the Muqata Palace of Ramallah to Palestinian Minister Ziad Abu Ein, who died yesterday on a charge of the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank.

Thousands of people gathered for the funeral of the Minister, who arrived in a coffin wrapped in a Palestinian flag, preceded by a delegation led by the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and Prime Minister Rami Hamdala.

Abu Ein was buried in the cemetery that welcomes other historical “martyrs” of the Palestinian resistance.

“We consider the Israeli government fully responsible for the death of our martyr,” told the media the veteran Member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Saeb Erekat.

Abu Ein participated yesterday in a peaceful march near the village of Turmusaia, north of Ramallah, when the Israeli army and the Border police impeded the progress of the participants and the Minister, who was attacked when an Israeli soldier grabbed him with force by the neck and pushed him violently.

Today, the results of the autopsy, performed by a mixed commission of a Palestinian and a Jordanian forensics, revealed that his death occurred after receiving a blow to the neck and inhaling gases, wounds that were aggravated by not receiving prompt medical assistance.