Palestinian "witnesses" do what they do best - lie. The media plays its part. (update)

Check out Ma'an's report of the incident in Turmsayya this morning:

The head of the Palestinian Authority committee against the separation wall and settlements died Wednesday after Israeli soldiers assaulted him in a village near Ramallah, committee sources said.

Ziad Abu Ein, 55, died after an Israeli soldier beat him on the chest with his helmet in the village of Turmsayya in the Ramallah district, the director of the committee's information center, Jamil al-Barghouthi, told Ma'an.

Abu Ein also suffered severe tear gas inhalation as Israeli soldiers fired canisters in the area.

A Palestinian security source told AFP that Israeli forces beat Abu Ein with the butts of their rifles and their helmets during a protest march.

So during peaceful protest march, multiple IDF soldiers singled out a 55-year old to attack him with their helmets and rifle butts, besides shooting tear gas, all for no reason of course.

If you believe Palestinian Arab sources.

Even without a counter-narrative, this makes no sense.

However, a reporter who was right there and took the picture above says that the soldiers did not hit him at all. Another says that he was seen clutching his chest ten minutes after the tear gas was shot. The IDF says its initial inquiry shows no physical altercation although it is investigating.

Video released after this was initially written showed a little shoving, at most. Certainly no helmet or rifle butting.

Abu Ein, who wasn't well, almost certainly died of a heart attack.

Most news stories aren't mentioning that he was also a murderer. He killed 2 teens in 1979:

That is enough to qualify him to be a PA official.

Abbas, of course, immediately jumped on the bogus story as an excuse to slam Israel for a "barbaric murder." Because he is too moderate to incite violence by amplifying lies.

The script for this incident has been played out many times before, and the media is doing its part to immediately trumpet the craziest accusations without question - just as their role demands.

UPDATE: Best video so far (h/t Yenta)



Abu Ein goes on the offensive against the policeman after being separated by the soldier, even afterwards he tries to fight back rather than act defensive, as one would if they were hurt.