US urges restraint after Palestinian prisoner's death

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States on Monday called for calm in Israel and the Palestinian territories as militants vowed revenge for a prisoner who died allegedly under torture in an Israeli jail.

"We're sending a clear message to both sides here in terms of restraint," State Department deputy acting spokesman Patrick Ventrell said.

Thousands on Monday thronged the West Bank village of Sair for the funeral of Arafat Jaradat, a 30-year-old father of two and member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades group which has vowed to avenge his death. Jaradat was detained by Israeli authorities on February 18 and died five days later. 

"We understand that the Israeli government is looking carefully into the circumstances of Mr. Jaradat's death," Mr Ventrell added. "We expect all parties to consider the results of the autopsy calmly and without inflammatory rhetoric."