Marwan Barghouti
Photo: AP
Kassam Barghouti
Photo: AFP
Presidential Guard attacks Barghouti's children
Inspection of car of former Tanzim leader's daughter goes bad, as family members arrive at scene, suffer blows at hand of troops. Presidential chief of staff promises thorough investigation into incident
Palestinian security forces in Ramallah attacked the children of former Fatah Secretary-General in the West Bank Marwan Barghouti, the Al-Hayat al-Jadida newspaper reported Tuesday.
The incident took place Monday night, when a Presidential Guard patrol stopped Ruba Barghouti's car, as she was driving home from the Birzeit University.
The Palestinian Authority launched an investigation into the alleged attack of Kassam and Ruba Barghouti by members of the Presidential Guard.
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The soldiers proceeded to search Ruba's car, even after she showed them her identification papers. After the soldiers insulted her, she called her mother, attorney Fadwa Barghouti, who asked to speak to the officer in charge.
The officer refused to take the call and asked Barghouti's daughter to accompany him to the nearby Muqataa. She refused.
Meanwhile, Barghouti's son Kassam arrived at the scene along with other family members. Kassam offered to accompany the officers in place of his sister, but the soldiers refused and according to reports struck Kassam and starting waving their weapons around.
At this time, more Presidential Guard troops arrived from the Muqataa and attacked the family members as well as a few bystanders who tried to break the ruckus apart.
Ashraf al-Ajarmi, the Palestinian prisoners, youth and sports minister, also arrived at the scene and was eventually able to calm everyone down.
Rafik al-Husseini, chief of staff of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' office, visited the family home Monday night and promises a thorough, speedy, inquiry into the matter.
