Liyad Golan, 27, from Kibbutz Beit HaShita in the Jezreel valley, had arrived at the bridge, near the town of Azor along the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, together with other party activists. He scaled an electric tower to get to where the Likud banner was hanging, was electrocuted and fell 25 feet to the ground.
Golan was pronounced dead by Magen David Adom paramedics who rushed to the site. Another activist at the scene and two members of Labor's election campaign committee were taken in for questioning by the Ayalon District Police.
The Labor Party issued a statement of mourning and party Chairman Amir Peretz called Golan's mother to express condolences. Peretz also said that all of the Labor Party was mourning for her son, who was an ideologue in his soul – and promised that the party would accompany the family through this difficult period. All campaigning was suspended for the rest of the Sabbath day and Peretz called for an investigation within the party as to how such a tragedy could have been allowed to happen.
Party Secretary-General Eitan Cabel later issued a statement about the event, saying that Golan was a paid worker for the Labor Party. "He was electrocuted to death at 12:14 PM, when he attempted to take down the banners of another party near the Green Bridge, on Highway 1," Cabal said, adding that just five minutes before the incident a message was sent out to activists directing them not to climb on electric poles.
Earlier this week, Elections Committee head Justice Dorit Beinish ordered all parties to refrain from hanging campaign banners on electric towers due to the danger involved.