Palestinian Authority security forces have launched an investigation into the assault on prominent Palestinian activist Mustafa Barghouti, one of the organizers of last Friday’s Land Day protests in the West Bank.

Barghouti’s office said that he was injured by a tear gas canister that was fired by IDF soldiers at the southern entrance to Ramallah.

Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, was released from the hospital on Saturday, his office added.

Eyewitnesses said that Barghouti was attacked by scores of Fatah activists during a protest at the Kalandiya checkpoint.

The assault was in the context of competition between Barghouti’s supporters and Fatah over who should lead the Land Day protests, they said.

One eyewitness said that a number of PA security officers participated in the assault on Barghouti, a former presidential candidate.

According to the account, the ambulance that took Barghouti from the scene was also attacked by angry Fatah activists.

A PA security source in Ramallah confirmed that an investigation had been launched into the assault on Barghouti.

The Palestine News Network reported that Barghouti’s office phoned its editors and requested that they refrain from publishing the news about the assault. (© 1995-2011, The Jerusalem Post 04/01/12)