West Bank mourns Palestinian inmate

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 04 April 2013 | 19.15

4 April 2013 Last updated at 08:13 ET

Thousands of people in the West Bank city of Hebron have joined the funeral of a Palestinian prisoner who died from cancer in an Israeli jail.

Crowds lined the streets of Hebron as the body of Maysara Abu Hamdiyeh was brought to a mosque.

His death has sparked angry protests, with Palestinian officials accusing Israel of medical negligence.

Two Palestinian teenagers were killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday during clashes between soldiers and youths.

The teenagers, named locally as Amer Nassar and his cousin, Naji Balbisy, were shot after Israeli troops opened fire on Palestinians who threw firebombs at a guard post in Tulkarem, in the northern West Bank.

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Several hundred young men lined the streets, chanting and waving Palestinian flags as the body of Maysara Abu Hamdiyeh was carried to the mosque. During prayers, there were several rounds of ceremonial gunfire.

Abu Hamdiyeh was a member of the Palestinian president's Fatah faction and is being buried with the honours of the presidential guard in front of huge crowds of mourners.

His death in detention from cancer has already reignited tensions across the occupied West Bank. Many shops and businesses have been shut in a general strike and there have been violent clashes with Israeli soldiers.

"Maysara's death was a big loss for Hebronites and all Palestinians. He was well loved and well-respected," says Abdul Raouf, whose son is held in an Israeli prison. "The prisoners sacrificed for us. We are very proud of them."

"The martyrs occupy a big place in the hearts of Palestinian people," adds Taher, a student in Hebron. "This could be the issue to cause a third intifada (uprising)."

Israel's army said the incident was being investigated.

A funeral for the youths was also being held on Thursday. Their bodies, wrapped in Palestinian flags, were carried through their hometown Anabta, where shops and schools remained closed in mourning, the AFP news agency reports.

Talks in jeopardy

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the deaths jeopardised "US and international efforts to restart negotiations".

The youths' killings have prompted further unrest after the death of Abu Hamdiyeh on Tuesday led to protests and a general strike across the territory.

Palestinian officials claim Israel did not provide the 64-year-old with adequate medical care and failed to release him after diagnosing that his illness was terminal.

Israeli officials say care was provided, and that the procedure to allow his release on medical grounds had begun.

On Wednesday, the Israeli health ministry released the results of an autopsy on Abu Hamdiyeh. This found a cancerous growth in his throat and secondary cancerous growths in his neck, chest, lungs, liver, and spinal cord.

The head of the Palestinian Pathological Institute also participated in the autopsy, a spokesman said.

Abu Hamdiyeh was serving a life sentence for a failed bombing attack on a Jerusalem cafe in 2002.

The rise in tension and violence comes days before US Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to visit Jerusalem and Ramallah to try to press for a revival in negotiations that broke down in 2010.

The Israeli military said that several rockets were fired in Gaza early on Thursday. One crossed into Israel, causing no injuries.


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