Labor party activist electrocuted to death

Labor activist Liad Golan, 27, dies after climbing electric pole to remove Likud sign; Labor holds special meeting to discuss incident

Reuters | Published: 03.25.06, 20:14

Liad Golan, 27, a Labor party activist from kibbutz Beit Hashita, was electrocuted to death Saturday on the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Highway after climbing an electric pole to remove a Likud sign.

Several Labor party activists were posting signs along the road Saturday afternoon near a bridge. At one point, the activists noticed a Likud sign hanging from an electric pole. Golan decided to climb the pole and remove the sign, a decision that led to his death.

A Magen David Adom ambulance team pronounced Golan dead at the scene. Police launched an investigation into the incident.

An initial investigation showed Golan was able to remove the Likud sign, but was electrocuted as he was attempting to replace it with a huge Labor party sign.

MDA paramedic Nadav Ovadia, who was called to the scene, told Ynet: "We saw a man lying on the ground. There were signs of serious electrocution and all we could do was to pronounce him dead."

Labor Party Chairman Amir Peretz canceled a planned tour Saturday in the wake of the incident. Senior Labor officials were set to meet Saturday to discuss the mishap. The party may also cancel the concluding election convention scheduled for Sunday.

Peretz spoke with Golan's mother, and said that "the party shall be with the family in the rough times ahead."

Peretz also expressed his condolences and told her the party mourns her son, who was, according to Peretz, an ideologist at heart.

The Electric Company issued the following statement: "We warned before, both the parties and the central Elections Committee, against activists climbing electric poles. Sadly, not all parties heeded the warnings."