BBC NEWS – April 3, 2005 – Israel’s ambassador to Ethiopia has died in hospital days after shooting himself in an apparent act of suicide after news he had terminal cancer.

Doron Grossman, 48, was brought back to Israel after being found with a head wound at his home in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Tuesday night.

His own pistol was discovered by his side and local police said they did not believe anyone else was involved.

He did not recover consciousness before his death, Israeli media report.

Mr Grossman had been suffering from stomach pains and medical examinations determined that he had an incurable cancer condition, according to Haaretz newspaper.

A single man, he had served as ambassador to Ethiopia since 2002 and was shortly due to take up a posting in South Africa.

There is a small Israeli embassy in the Ethiopian capital, comprising four envoys and their spouses, who deal with diplomatic and economic matters.

Tens of thousands of Ethiopian Jews, known pejoratively as Falashas, have emigrated to Israel since the 1980s.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom expressed his “deep regret” over Mr Grossman’s death.