The Elusive Truths

"The Israeli soldiers called Abu Ein by name and seemed to be focused on him. There was a lot of pushing, kicking and punching by the soldiers ... When Abu Ein tried to intercede, they hit him on the chest with a rifle butt and grabbed him by the throat and pushed him back and then threw a large amount of tear gas and stun grenades."
Kamal Abu Safaks, Palestinian witness 

Palestinian security members carrying the coffin of senior Palestinian official Ziad Abu Ein during his funeral in Ramallah, Dec. 11, 2014. (STR/Flash90)

 

Well, that's pretty damning, most certainly. And if Israeli soldiers called the man by name, they obviously knew him. As someone entrusted to act on behalf of the Palestinian Authority to reward the families of 'resisters' who end up in Israeli prisons; men and women who undertake violent and sometimes deadly attacks on Israelis. As someone who often took part in protests. Above all, as someone who was sentenced to death for the murder of two Israeli men.

As someone who was released from prison in a prisoner-exchange as is so often conducted between Israel and whoever holds its citizens or soldiers captive, in the general 100-to-1 exchanges benefiting the Palestinians. And this man with blood on his hands was honoured by the PA and its leader Mahmoud Abbas, given a leadership post in the government. His death honoured as well as yet another 'martyr'.

In the autopsy results there is little agreement as to the cause of death. The Israeli preliminary report issued by Israel's Health Ministry held that the 55-year-old Abu Ein -- whom his family stated suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure -- died of a heart attack brought on by a pre-existing heart condition combined with stress. Emphasizing that these findings require verification once the investigation and lab results are finalized.


On the other hand, Dr. Ahmed Bitawi of the Ramallah medical complex ruled out "99.9%" that a heart attack caused the man's death. As the director general of the hospital, Dr. Bitawi held that the cause of death was asphyxiation when Abu Ein choked to death on his own vomit as a result of gas inhalation. Which then calls into question the Palestinian charges that he was choked to death.

Alternately, the Palestinian result of the autopsy holds that their interpretaiton of the autopsy results demonstrate that Abu Ein died of a harsh blow to his diaphragm and lungs; excessive force along with tear gas inhalation were factors contributing to his death. "The camera's pictures make it clear, he was beaten. His neck was squeezed. The gas and the stress and the shouting all led to his death", insisted his brother, Baha' Abu Ein.

As far as President Abbas is concerned the death resulted from a "barbaric act", and he will decide the manner of the response to the situation, calling for three days of mourning in the Palestinian territories. The episode resulted from a march by about 30 Palestinians toward contested agricultural land near the West Bank village of Rumus Aya to plant olive tree saplings close to an unauthorized Israel settlement outpost.

Unauthorized, the settlements the work of religious zealots inclined to claim all land, including what the Palestinians claim for their own, to represent Jewish land to be part of Israel, should be demolished and their trouble-making settlers arrested for violating the integrity of an area that has a recognized and generally agreed-upon designation, obviating the presence of Jewish settlers. But that is another story, albeit one cogently germane to the events.

As the marchers approached their destination, Israeli soldiers told them to halt. Arguments, pushing and shoving ensued from both sides. Ziad Abu Ein, verbally abusive and physically engaged, struck an Israeli police officer who pushed him away after grabbing him by the side of the neck. The altercation resulted in his falling and ultimately perishing. Although there were accounts that an Israeli medic attempted first aid, other accounts were that Palestinians pushed the medic away.

Soldiers had fired tear gas toward the legs of the Palestinians, as recounted by Kamal Abu Sassaka, an assistant of Abu Ein who describes the pushing and shoving that took place between the marchers and soldiers. He claims one of the soldiers hit Mr. Ein in the chest with his rifle butt, others that a tear gas canister hit him in the chest. An investigation will most certainly clear up the confusion.

These are two disparate peoples with stories and claims all their own; their perspectives skewed by distrust and hatred born of challenges to what each regards as their unassailable entitlements and the propensity of human nature to resort to violence when frustration levels mount to unsupportable heights.