ISRAELI FORCES DETAIN PA OFFICIAL DURING TREE PLANTING DEMO

Photo: Ma'an News Agency — **Israeli forces detain Palestinian Authority (PA) official during tree planting demo.** (Photo: Ma’an)

Ramallah, 20 Rabi’ul Akhir 1436/10 February 2015 (MINA) – Israeli forces on Monday detained the president of the Palestinian Authority’s committee against the separation wall and settlements while he was planting trees near Ramallah, witnesses told Ma’an.

The sources said Jamil al-Barghouthi was arrested while taking part in a tree planting demonstration in Silwad on land that is under threat of Israeli confiscation.

They said Israeli forces assaulted al-Barghouthi and other participants in the activity before making the arrest, Ma’an News Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The soldiers also detained the man’s escort, Iyad al-Barghouthi.

In December, President Mahmoud Abbas appointed al-Barghouthi to replace Ziad Abu Ein as the head of the PA committee against the separation wall and settlements.

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Abu Ein died after being assaulted by Israeli soldiers during a tree planting demonstration in the village of Turmusayya in the Ramallah district on Dec. 10. (T/P010/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)