Jenin District Governor Kadura Musa died on Tuesday night of a heart attack, shortly after armed attackers opened fire on his home.

On Tuesday night, a number of assailants took positions outside Musa´s home, before opening fire. The governor´s bodyguards returned fire, and Musa himself came out of his house and fired a number of shots into the air.

Later on, after complaining that he felt ill, he was taken to the hospital, where he died.

The assailants are believed to be members of the family of a Palestinian man who was killed by Palestinian police two weeks ago.

The man, Amthal Ghawadara of the village Deir al-Basha in northern Jenin district, was killed on April 15 after shooting at police who surrounded his home, calling on him to turn himself in. Since then, his family has been threatening to take revenge, and family members have fired shots at the local police station several times.

Governor Musa was known for having excellent ties with Israelis. Under his rule, the Palestinian Authority managed to stabilize the security situation around the city of Jenin. Following his death, the PA is expected to face a serious challenge in preserving the existing status quo. (© Copyright 2012 Ha´aretz 05/03/12)