A critic of the Palestinian leadership and one of the candidates in the postponed legislative elections has died while in the hands of the Palestinian security forces, after they arrested him in the Hebron area.
Nizar Banat, a 44-year-old carpenter who has publicly complained about the corruption of the Palestinian leadership, was awoken at 3 a.m. on June 24 by about 20 members of the Palestinian security forces, his family claims. He was dragged from his bed after being pepper-sprayed. His family says he was bleeding when they took him away. Banat, whose house was shot at two months ago, had been in hiding when arrested.
