Palestinian worker crushed to death at West Bank checkpoint

JERUSALEM (JTA)—A Palestinian man was crushed to death as he tried to get through a West Bank checkpoint.

Ahmad Samih Bdeir, 39, a construction worker from the village of Farun in the northern West Bank, died Dec. 31 at the Efraim checkpoint, the Palestinian Maan news agency reported.

Bdeir reportedly was choked to death in the crush of people trying to get through the checkpoint.

More than 15,000 Palestinian workers pass through al-Tayba checkpoint every day, Maan reported, citing the Palestinian Federation of Trade Unions. A year ago, another worker reportedly died due to extreme overcrowding at the checkpoint.

The checkpoint is staffed by Israeli soldiers and a private security contractor.