Death of Palestinian in Israeli custody sparks fears of uprising

The mysterious death of a 30-year-old Palestinian gasstation attendant in Israeli custody stoked new West Bank clashes Sunday, along with Israeli fears of a third Palestinian uprising.

A senior Palestinian of- ficial alleged that Arafat Jaradat was tortured by Israel’s Shin Bet security service, citing an autopsy he said revealed bruising and two broken ribs.

Israel’s Health Ministry said the autopsy did not conclusively determine the cause of death, but that the bruising and broken ribs were likely the result of attempts to revive the detainee

Jaradat’s death came at a time of rising West Bank tensions, including several days of Palestinian marches in support of four hungerstriking prisoners in Israeli lockups.

In all, Israel holds nearly 4,600 Palestinians, including dozens who have never been formally charged.

Frozen Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, the recent reelection of Israeli hard-line Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a Palestinian cash crisis and the Palestinians’ sense of being abandoned by the Arab world seem to have created fertile ground for a third Palestinian revolt.

Over the weekend, Israel’s army chief convened senior commanders to discuss the growing unrest.

Jaradat’s death “is liable to become the opening shot” in a third uprising, Israeli military commentator Alex Fishman wrote in the Yediot Ahronot daily Sunday, arguing that the “Palestinian street has been boiling with anger for a number of weeks now.”

However, Israeli officials have previously expressed concern about a new uprising, only to see bursts of Palestinian protests fizzle.