Al-Jazeera.com :Ziad Abu Ein, a Palestinian minister, has died after clashes with Israeli forces, reportedly due to inhaling large amounts of tear gas in the occupied West Bank, sources told Al Jazeera. Abu Ein, who was the head of the Anti-Wall and Settlement Commission, died in Ramallah Hospital on Wednesday after inhaling the gas at a protest against the separation barrier near the village of Turmusayya, northeast of Ramallah.In addition to inhaling tear gas, Abu Ein, 55, was hit in the chest by Isreali soldiers, according to a Palestine TV reporter who was at the scene.Witnesses, including an Israeli journalist and a Reuters news agency photographer, also said he was assaulted by the soldiers during the protest.Others said he was headbutted and then collapsed.Activists said they were planting olive trees by the illegal settlement of Adei Ad when the soldiers attacked them and fired large amounts of tear gas at the group.Pictures of Abu Ein, who is a member of Fatah’s Revolutionary Council, showing him knocked out and on the ground quickly circulated on social media sites.Abbas also said “all necessary steps” will be taken after an investigation into Abu Ein’s death is carried out.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas quickly condemned the death of Abu Ein calling it a “barbaric act which cannot be tolerated”.
