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Photos:
Omar Abul-Majid As’ad, 80. Published by IMEMC News

Scene. Source: Twitter Published by Haaretz
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by IMEMC News
Jan 12, 2021

Palestinian medical sources have confirmed, on Wednesday at dawn, that an elderly man, who is also a US citizen, was killed after Israeli soldiers detained and repeatedly assaulted him near Ramallah, in the central part of the occupied West Bank.

The sources said the man has been identified as Omar Abul-Majid As’ad, 80, from Jaljulia village, north of Ramallah.

The Mayor of Jaljulia, Fuad Motea’, said the soldiers invaded the village and abducted Omar, before constantly assaulting him in an under-construction home, before leaving him on the ground.

Motea’ also added that the elderly man was detained by the soldiers in the al-Ein area in Jaljulia before he was cuffed, blindfolded, and assaulted by the soldiers.

He stated that Palestinian medics rushed to the scene, but were unable to resuscitate the man, before moving his corpse to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah.

His nephew, Mohammad, told Palestine TV that several army vehicles invaded the village after midnight, before forcing him out of a car, cuffed and blindfolded him, and started to drag him on the ground before taking him to the under-construction building.

He added that after the soldiers repeatedly struck his uncle in the under-construction home, and after realizing that he was dead they just left him on the ground and left the area.

“He was an old man with respiratory issues; the soldiers had no reason to abduct him, let alone to cuff and blindfold him, and to take him to an under-construction home, where they constantly assaulted him, and then just left him there!” Mohammad said.

The Palestinians found his corpse approximately at 4 at dawn in the under-construction building, after the soldiers withdrew from the village.

It is worth mentioning that the soldiers detained several Palestinians during the invasion, and the slain elderly man was the only one who was taken to the building.

The Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA) said the slain elderly man has U.S citizenship but cannot enter or leave the West Bank without a Palestinian ID and a Palestinian passport.

All Palestinians with foreign citizenship must enter or leave Palestine using only their Palestinian documents when they cross the Israeli-controlled border terminals.

WAFA added that “Omar was waiting for family reunification papers and a Palestinian ID”, issued by the Palestinian Authority when and if Israel agrees.

Furthermore, Reuters reported that Omar spent many years in the United States, living in Milwaukie – Wisconsin, and returned to the West Bank ten years ago.

On its part, the Washington Post stated that U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said U.S. officials had requested “clarification” from Israel regarding the circumstances that led to his death.

“We support a thorough investigation into the circumstances,” Price told reporters.
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80-year-old Detained by Israeli Soldiers Dies of Heart Attack, Palestinian Health Ministry Says

Washington requests clarification after Palestinians say Omar Abdalmajeed As'ad, who is a dual U.S. citizen, was handcuffed and beaten by Israeli soldiers

by Jack Khoury for Haaretz
Jan 12, 2021

An 80-year-old Palestinian man died of a heart attack on Wednesday after being detained overnight by Israeli forces in the Ramallah area, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

According to the ministry's statement, Omar Abdalmajeed As'ad was "assaulted" and beaten by Israeli soldiers, who stopped him on his way home, in the village of Jiljilya, and handcuffed him.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said that As'ad was a dual U.S. citizen.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price expressed condolences over the death on Wednesday at a news briefing, and said he had asked for clarification from Israel regarding the death of the man, who is a U.S. citizen.

The Israeli military confirmed he had been held by soldiers "after resisting a security inspection," but said he was then released and only later, in the morning, found dead near his village.

Jiljilya village council head Fouad Qattoum said As'ad was returning home after visiting relatives when Israeli soldiers stopped his car, bound him, blindfolded him and led him away to a building still under construction. Another villager said he saw Israeli soldiers walking As'ad away around 3 A.M.

As'ad's body was found more than an hour later, according to vegetable seller Mamdouh Elaboud, who said he was himself detained for 20 minutes, then released.

As'ad's family said he was taken to a hospital in Ramallah, where he was pronounced dead. His brother said that As'ad was "an elderly man who suffered from respiration and heart problems."

"I don't understand how a man that age can be considered a danger," the brother added. "They handcuffed him and shoved him. That's abuse... I have no doubt what he went through caused his death."

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned "the killing" of As'ad, adding that "this crime serves as an example of the occupation's brutality and aggression against Palestinians, along with raids, arrests and intimidation of civilians, including women and children."

The ministry added that it will "file complaints to all international bodies, including the international court."

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said that As'ad was "lynched by occupation soldiers," and that his death was "a crime arising from the terror agenda" carried out by Israeli soldiers and settlers.

Israel's military police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Reuters contributed to this article.