Rayan Suleiman, seven, was 'shrieking in fear' at sight of the Israeli forces, his family said. Photo: Wafa
Rayan Suleiman, seven, was 'shrieking in fear' at sight of the Israeli forces, his family said. Photo: Wafa
Rayan Suleiman, seven, was 'shrieking in fear' at sight of the Israeli forces, his family said. Photo: Wafa
Rayan Suleiman, seven, was 'shrieking in fear' at sight of the Israeli forces, his family said. Photo: Wafa

Palestinian boy 'died of heart failure' during chase by Israeli troops


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The father and relatives of a seven-year-old Palestinian boy have accused the Israeli military of scaring him to death after it raided his home in the occupied West Bank.

The family of Rayan Suleiman said he had no health problems and he was “shrieking in fear” at sight of the Israeli forces.

The US State Department has called for an investigation.

His father Yasser Suleiman said Rayan tried to run away when the soldiers said they wanted to arrest his brothers and was briefly chased by the soldiers.

He said Rayan was vomiting blood in the car after collapsing and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

“He was martyred from the fear of them,” the father told Palestine TV.

Mohammed Suleiman, a 22-year-old cousin, said his parents shouted, “come here,” to calm him down. He said after the soldiers left, the boy collapsed.

A medical official who inspected the body told Reuters that it bore no sign of physical trauma and that the death appeared consistent with heart failure.

The Israeli army called the death a tragedy and said its soldiers were not to blame.

  • Palestinians search a house to retrieve the bodies of three Palestinians killed by Israeli troops during a raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. EPA
    Palestinians search a house to retrieve the bodies of three Palestinians killed by Israeli troops during a raid in the West Bank city of Nablus. EPA
  • Palestinians inspect a building damaged during clashes with Israeli forces in Nablus. Reuters
    Palestinians inspect a building damaged during clashes with Israeli forces in Nablus. Reuters
  • Palestinians carry the body of Islam Sabouh. Israeli police said forces encircled the home of Ibrahim Al Nabulsi, who they say was wanted for a string of shootings in the West Bank earlier this year, and that Al Nabulsi and Sabouh were killed in a shootout. AP Photo
    Palestinians carry the body of Islam Sabouh. Israeli police said forces encircled the home of Ibrahim Al Nabulsi, who they say was wanted for a string of shootings in the West Bank earlier this year, and that Al Nabulsi and Sabouh were killed in a shootout. AP Photo
  • Palestinians evacuate the bodies of three Palestinians killed by Israeli troops. EPA
    Palestinians evacuate the bodies of three Palestinians killed by Israeli troops. EPA
  • Palestinians grieve for those killed during the raid. EPA
    Palestinians grieve for those killed during the raid. EPA
  • Palestinians clash with Israeli troops. EPA
    Palestinians clash with Israeli troops. EPA
  • A Palestinian protester runs during clashes with Israeli security forces' vehicles. AFP
    A Palestinian protester runs during clashes with Israeli security forces' vehicles. AFP
  • Protesters hurl rocks at Israeli security forces' vehicles. AFP
    Protesters hurl rocks at Israeli security forces' vehicles. AFP
  • A wounded man is carried during the clashes with Israeli troops. EPA
    A wounded man is carried during the clashes with Israeli troops. EPA
  • Palestinian health officials said three people were killed and at least 40 people wounded in the gun battle. AP Photo
    Palestinian health officials said three people were killed and at least 40 people wounded in the gun battle. AP Photo
  • Smoke rises above buildings during the Israeli army operation in Nablus. AP Photo
    Smoke rises above buildings during the Israeli army operation in Nablus. AP Photo

Military spokesman Lt Col Richard Hecht said a senior officer on the scene went to the house after spotting one of the stone throwers on a balcony and told the father to make the children stop throwing stones at motorists.

He said the officer spoke in a “very calm manner” and left, AP reported.

“There was no violence, no entry into the house,” Lt Col Hecht said.

An Israeli military spokesman said troops were in the vicinity at the time to search for Palestinians suspected of fleeing into the village after throwing rocks at motorists.

“An initial inquiry shows no connection between the searches conducted by the Israel Defence Forces in the area and the tragic death of the child,” the spokesman said.

Palestinian residents said there was no stone-throwing at the time. The military spokesman added that “the details of the incident are under review”.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the incident as “an ugly crime” by Israel.

The incident added to the rising tensions in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli troops have been conducting daily arrest raids that have frequently escalated into deadly violence in recent months.

Palestinian village boys were seen throwing stones at cars driving on a highway near the Israeli settlement of Tekoa, close to Bethlehem.

Later, relatives said that soldiers banged on the door and wanted to arrest Rayan’s older brothers for alleged stone throwing.

US calls for 'thorough' investigation

The US State Department is calling on Israel to open a “thorough” investigation into the death.

State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said the US was “heartbroken to learn of the death of an innocent Palestinian child”.

“We support a thorough and immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death,” Mr Patel said.

Palestinians and human rights groups say the army is incapable of investigating wrongdoing by its forces and that soldiers are rarely held accountable.

The boy was scheduled to be buried on Friday. The funeral comes at a time of rising violence in the West Bank.

On Wednesday, four Palestinians were killed and 44 wounded during an Israeli military raid in the northern West Bank town of Jenin. It was the deadliest episode since Israel launched its crackdown earlier this year.

Israel has been conducting nightly arrest raids, primarily in the northern West Bank, since a series of deadly Palestinian attacks in Israel last spring.

Israel says most of the dead have been wanted militants who opened fire, or youths who threw firebombs or stones at soldiers entering their neighbourhoods.

But human rights groups say several civilians who were not involved in any violence have also died.

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The seven points are:

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Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)

Salama bint Butti Street

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Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021

Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.

Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.

Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.

Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.

Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.

Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.

Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”

Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI. 

Updated: September 30, 2022, 8:27 AM