Palestinians demand end to Abbas presidency after activist dies during 'brutal beating and arrest'

Large demonstrations are being held across the West Bank calling for an end to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Presidency of Mahmoud Abbas, after the funeral of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat, who died while in the custody of PA security forces on Thursday morning.

The body of Banat, 45, was borne aloft through the streets of Hebron where he lived, following a funeral ceremony at the mosque. Crowds, estimated by CNN at 15,000 in number, walked behind the body waving Palestinian flags, proclaiming him a martyr. People chanted, "Abu Mazen is a traitor" -- referring to Abbas by the common Arabic kunya "Abu" meaning "father of" -- and "The people say, 'Down with the Authority!'"