Palestinian official dies in confrontation with Israeli troops

A senior Palestinian official died Wednesday after being struck in a confrontation with Israeli forces during a protest march in the West Bank.
      
The Palestinian leadership vowed to respond to what president Mahmoud Abbas called a "brutal assault" that led to the death of Ziad Abu Ein, who was in charge of the issue of Israeli settlements for the Palestinian Authority.
      
A former PA deputy minister, Abu Ein, 55, was the most senior Palestinian official to die in a confrontation with Israeli forces in recent years.
      
His death was "a barbaric act that cannot be tolerated or accepted," Abbas said, declaring three days of mourning.        

The confrontation erupted as Abu Ein took part in a march of some 300 Palestinians who intended to plant olive trees as a symbolic act of protest against Israeli settlements, an AFP photographer said.
      
The group was confronted by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank village of Turmusayya. Tear gas was fired, three soldiers grabbed Abu Ein and he was struck in the chest, the photographer said.         Abu Ein fell and an Israeli army doctor rushed to treat him before he was taken to hospital.
      
Ahmed Bitawi, the director of the Ramallah hospital, told AFP Abu Ein "was martyred after being beaten in the chest".        

Abbas said his death would not go unanswered.
      
"We will take the necessary measures after the results of the investigation into the incident."        

The Israeli army, or IDF, said it was "reviewing the circumstances" of the incident and had proposed a joint investigation with the Palestinians.
      
A statement said Israeli forces had been confronted with "approximately 200 rioters" during the...