Israeli police not probing sudden death of Chinese ambassador

TRACKING____The Israeli Police said it would not open an enquiry into the sudden death today of China’s ambassador, Du Wei.

The 57 year-old envoy was found dead at his residence on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.

He arrived in Israel in mid-February.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police units were at the scene “as part of the regular procedure…”.

But he foreclosed any investigation into the death.

Du’s wife and son were not with him in Israel.

The Chinese foreign ministry said it would only comment when it had “solid” information.

Du had previously served as ambassador to Ukraine, according to his biography on the embassy’s website.

The Haaretz daily said initial reports said staff had found Du dead in his bed and that there were no signs of violence.

It quoted Israel’s emergency medical service Magen David Adom as saying the cause of death appeared to be a cardiac incident.

A spokesman for the medical service would not provide any official information.

Du had undergone a 14-day home quarantine on arrival in Israel because of the new coronavirus outbreak, according to an interview with local media in May.

On April 2, Israel Hayom, the top-circulation Hebrew newspaper, published an editorial by Du on the theme that “Collaboration is the Cure for the Virus”.

China and Israel, a strong US ally, have boosted cooperation in the high-tech and other sectors, leading Washington to urge Israel to limit Chinese investment in its strategic sectors.

Chinese embassy spokesman Wang Yongjun in a recent Jerusalem Post commentary rejected the claim and called Sino-Israeli cooperation a “win-win” situation.