UN Calls For Inquiry Into Palestinian Prisoner’s Death In Israeli Jail

The United Nations called for an inquiry into a Palestinian’s death in an Israeli jail. The man, Arafat Jaradat, died last week.

Jaradat’s death caused unrest in the occupied territories, which continued through Monday, when the father of two was laid to rest.

The Palestinians also demanded an independent investigation into the death in a letter they sent to the UN Security Council, reports Al Jazeera.

They claimed that Arafat could have been tortured before his death. Robert Serry, the UN’s Middle East peace envoy, called for the investigation after he spoke with Palestine’s Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Palestinian UN ambassador Riyad Mansour sent a letter to the Security Council over the weekend after a Palestinian doctor performed an autopsy on Jaradat.

Mansour claimed that the autopsy revealed Arafat Jaradat “was subject to severe beatings, abuse and medical negligence during his captivity, possibly amounting to torture.”

The Associated Free Press notes that the letter called for an “impartial investigation” into the man’s death, adding:

“This horrific incident is further proof of the inhumane treatment systematically meted out by Israel against Palestinians in its jails.”

Thousands of supporters attended Jaradat’s funeral in the West Bank on Monday while some Palestinian fighters threatened to enact revenge for his death. Jaradat was arrested on February 18 and died just five days later.

Israeli prison authorities have announced that the Palestinian prisoner appeared to have died from a heart attack. But the Palestinian doctor’s autopsy revealed that there was no blockages in Jaradat’s arteries. In calling for an impartial inquiry into the man’s death, Serry added:

“The United Nations expects the autopsy to be followed by an independent and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr Jaradat’s death, the results of which should be made public as soon as possible.”

Mansour’s letter to the Security Council detailed that Jaradat had six broken bones in his neck, spine, arms, and legs. He also had other injuries. Israel countered by saying the prisoner may have received broken bones in an attempt to resuscitate him after his heart attack.