Clashes erupt at West Bank funeral

Palestinian mourners have clashed with Israeli security forces amid the funeral of a Palestinian prisoner killed in an Israeli jail.

Thousands took part at Raed Abdel Salam al-Jaabari’s funeral that turned violent in the West Bank city of al-Khalil (Hebron) on Friday.

“Israel continues to commit crimes and to kill Palestinian prisoners. The Palestinian leadership should move urgently and appeal to international courts,” said Amjad a-Najjar, the head of Palestinian Prisoner’s Club in al-Khalil.

On Thursday, the result of an autopsy on the body of the 35-year-old Palestinian prisoner showed that he died from a blow to the head.

Israeli authorities had earlier claimed that Jaabari had hanged himself at the prison and died on the way to hospital.

A 22-year-old Palestinian, identified as Essa Qatri, was also killed on Wednesday after Israeli troops shot him in the chest.

The West Bank has been under Israeli military occupation since 1967. There are hundreds of checkpoints in the West Bank which have made life difficult for Palestinians.

The Israeli military also raids Palestinian houses in the West Bank on a regular basis to arrest activists and civilians mostly without any charges.

NT/MHB/MAM