Jerusalem ( CNN ) This much is certain : Ziyad Abu Ein , a senior Palestinian Authority official , died after a confrontation with Israeli troops . But a day after his death , the two sides continued to offer contrasting accounts of what killed him . Palestinians say that autopsy results show that Abu Ein died from a harsh blow to his diaphragm and lungs -- that excessive use of force , in conjunction with the inhalation of tear gas , were contributing factors . Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh told the Palestinian Ma'an News Agency on Thursday that doctors from Palestinian territories , Jordan and Israel participated in the autopsy . He said that while Israeli doctors admitted the results , they did not sign the medical report . On the other hand , a preliminary autopsy report issued by the Israeli government said Abu Ein 's death was caused by a blockage of the coronary artery because of hemorrhaging . Stress could have caused the bleeding , the report said , suggesting the poor condition of Abu Ein 's heart caused him to be more sensitive to stress . CNN spoke to Dr. Ahmed Bitawi , at the Ramallah medical complex , who ruled out `` 99.99 % '' that Abu Ein 's death was brought on by a heart attack . Bitawi , the director general of the hospital , said the cause of death was asphyxiation ; that Abu Ein choked to death on his own vomit brought on by gas inhalation . Clashes with soldiers . Abu Ein died after clashes with Israeli soldiers midday Wednesday in the Palestinian village of Turmusaya , which is northeast of the West Bank city of Ramallah . He was a minister in the Fatah party and head of the Committee to Resist the Wall and Settlements , and he was participating in nonviolent demonstrations to mark international Human Rights Day , longtime chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said in a statement . Pictures from various news agencies depict an Israeli soldier with his hands to Abu Ein 's neck , followed by another showing him on the ground . The official Palestinian news agency WAFA , meanwhile , reported that the Palestinian official lost consciousness after he inhaled tear gas and an Israeli soldier hit him in the chest . `` The Israeli soldiers called Abu Ein by name and seemed to be focused on him , '' witness Kamal Abu Safaka told CNN . `` There was a lot of pushing , kicking and punching by the soldiers . ... When Abu Ein tried to intercede , they hit him on the chest with a rifle butt and grabbed him by the throat and pushed him back and then threw a large amount of tear gas and stun grenades . '' Anger and mourning . Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will investigate the death . Declaring three days of mourning , Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas slammed Abu Ein 's death as an `` intolerable barbaric act , '' according to WAFA . `` What happened is a crime by all means , we can not sit idle and silent ( after ) this crime , '' he said later on Palestinian television . `` For that , this leadership is meeting now to decide what it wants , and I say honestly all options are open for discussion and for implementation . ... We do n't have any other solutions . '' On Thursday , thousands of Palestinian mourners marched in Abu Ein 's funeral procession as he was taken from the presidential compound to a cemetery .
An autopsy report released by Israel says Ziyad Abu Ein died from a blocked artery . A Palestinian doctor says he choked on vomit brought on by tear gas inhalation . A Palestinian official says Abu Ein was taking part in nonviolent protests . Score: 7