Police conflict with mourners at Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s funeral
Israeli police clashed with Palestinian mourners packed across the coffin of killed Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh at first of her funeral procession in Jerusalem on Friday.
Masked cops confronted scores of flag-waving and chanting Palestinians within the compound of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, tv footage confirmed.
Officers then charged the gang and at one level the group carrying her coffin backed in opposition to a wall and nearly dropped the casket, recovering it simply earlier than one finish hit the bottom.
Family and mates carry the coffin of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, May 13, 2022. (REUTERS)
The violent scenes underlined the rising anger over Abu Akleh’s killing which has threatened so as to add additional gasoline to an already raging battle.
Abu Akleh, who had coated Palestinian affairs and the Middle East for greater than 20 years, was shot whereas reporting on an Israeli raid within the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.
Palestinian authorities described Abu Akleh’s killing as an assassination by Israeli forces. Israel’s authorities initially prompt Palestinian hearth might need been accountable, however officers have additionally mentioned they may not rule out it was Israeli gunfire that killed her.
One of probably the most unbelievable issues I’ve ever seen! Even in dying Shireen Abu Akleh is attacked by Israeli forces. Police assault pallbearers carrying the coffin of a journalist who was shot within the face by Israeli troopers. Why? Because the coffin is draped within the Palestinian flag pic.twitter.com/zr4kNbQLe3
— Hind Hassan (@HindHassanInformation) May 13, 2022
On Friday, Israeli police mentioned the group of Palestinians they described as rioters had begun throwing stones within the hospital compound. “The policemen were forced to act,” they added. There was no quick remark from Palestinian authorities.
A couple of minutes later, Abu Akleh’s coffin was positioned in a automobile that headed towards the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin in Jerusalem’s Walled Old City, the place the ceremony proceeded peacefully.
Investigations and raids
The Israeli navy mentioned on Friday that its preliminary investigation “concluded that it is not possible to unequivocally determine the source of the gunfire which hit and killed Ms. Abu Akleh.”
The inquiry has raised two prospects, the navy mentioned in an announcement. The first, that Abu Akleh was hit by Palestinian militants who fired dozens of bullets towards Israeli navy autos, “which is also the direction where Ms. Abu Akleh was”.
The second, that an Israeli soldier returning hearth from a jeep towards a gunman had inadvertently hit her. The automobile was round 200 metres from Abu Akleh, the navy mentioned.
Israeli forces on Friday resumed raids on the outskirts of Jenin, the place Abu Akleh was killed.
At least 13 individuals had been wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry mentioned. The navy mentioned that an Israeli police officer had been significantly injured in what it mentioned was counter-terrorism exercise.
The Jenin Brigade, an armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, mentioned its fighters had been participating in armed clashes with Israeli forces in Jenin and residents mentioned the Israeli forces arrested a militant from the Islamic Jihad Group.
Abu Akleh’s dying has drawn widespread condemnation. Video footage from the moments after she was shot confirmed Abu Akleh, 51, carrying a blue vest marked “Press”.
A lady mourns through the funeral of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh. (REUTERS)
At least two of her colleagues who had been together with her mentioned that they’d come underneath Israeli sniper hearth and that they weren’t near militants.
Israel, which has voiced remorse at Abu Akleh’s dying has proposed a joint investigation with the Palestinians, asking them to supply the bullet for examination.
The Palestinians have rejected the Israeli request. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday mentioned Israel was totally accountable and referred to as for a global investigation.
Family and mates carry the coffin of Shireen Abu Akleh, throughout her funeral in Jerusalem. (REUTERS)
Israel has stepped up raids amid lethal assaults in Israel. Since March, Palestinians and members of Israel’s Arab minority have killed 18 individuals, together with three cops and a safety guard, in assaults in Israel and the West Bank which have largely focused civilians.
Some of the assailants have come from the Jenin space. The Israeli arrest raids within the West Bank have typically sparked clashes and have introduced the variety of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces or armed civilians because the starting of the 12 months to no less than 42. The casualties embrace armed members of militant teams, lone assailants and bystanders.
