Palestinians call for Abbas’ ouster

Thousands of Palestinians at the Balata refugee camp in Nablus yesterday called for President Mahmoud Abbas to step down during a funeral for a resident who was shot by Palestinian security forces.

Mourners carried the body of Diaa Marshoud from the morgue to the Ibad Al-Rahman Mosque in the camp in order to carry out prayers on his body.

During the procession, scores of men fired shots in the air while others chanted demanding Abbas step down along with the head of the National Security Forces Nidal Abu Dukhan.

Twenty-one-year-old Marshoud passed away on Wednesday hours after he and three other youths were injured after security forces fired at a vehicle they were in near the Balata refugee camp.

Security apparatuses say their forces fired at the car after two youths fired from it. The youth’s families deny this accusation and stress that their sons were not armed.