JERUSALEM — Israeli police on Friday moved in on a crowd of mourners on the funeral of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, beating demonstrators with batons and inflicting pallbearers to briefly drop the casket.
The crackdown got here throughout a uncommon present of Palestinian nationalism in east Jerusalem — the a part of the holy metropolis that Israel captured in 1967 and that the Palestinians declare as their capital.
Israel says east Jerusalem is a part of its capital and has annexed the world in a transfer that’s not internationally acknowledged. Israel routinely clamps down on any shows of help for Palestinian statehood.
1000’s of mourners, some hoisting Palestinian flags and chanting “Palestine, Palestine,” attended the funeral for Abu Akleh, who witnesses say was shot and killed by Israeli forces earlier this week whereas masking a navy raid within the occupied West Financial institution.
“We die for Palestine to dwell,” the group chanted. “Our beloved dwelling.” Later, they sang the Palestinian nationwide anthem.
Forward of the service, dozens of mourners tried to march with the casket on foot out of a hospital to a Catholic church within the close by Outdated Metropolis.
Police stated the group on the hospital was chanting “nationalist incitement,” ignored calls to cease and threw stones at police. “The policemen have been pressured to behave,” police stated.
In the meantime, the Israeli navy stated its preliminary investigation into Abu Akleh’s demise confirmed {that a} heavy firefight was underway within the West Financial institution city of Jenin round 200 meters (yards) from the place she was killed, however that it was unable to find out whether or not she was shot by Israeli forces or Palestinian militants.
Israel introduced that an Israeli policeman was killed in new preventing in Jenin on Friday.
Current days have seen an outpouring of grief from throughout the Palestinian territories and the broader Arab world. Abu Akleh was a broadly revered on-air correspondent who spent 1 / 4 century masking the cruel realities of life below Israeli navy rule, which is nicely into its sixth decade with no sign of ending.
After the heated scene exterior the hospital, police allowed the household to drive the casket to a Catholic church within the Outdated Metropolis, which was filled with mourners, earlier than sealing off the hospital and firing tear gasoline at scores of protesters.
After the service, 1000’s headed to the cemetery, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Palestine, Palestine.”
A number of hours later, she was buried in a cemetery exterior the Outdated Metropolis.
Qatar-based Al Jazeera had earlier stated that its managing director, Ahmad Alyafei, would journey to Jerusalem to attend the funeral.
Israel has referred to as for a joint investigation with the Palestinian Authority and for it handy over the bullet for forensic evaluation to find out who fired the deadly spherical. The PA has refused, saying it should conduct its personal investigation and ship the outcomes to the Worldwide Felony Court docket, which is already investigating doable Israeli battle crimes.
In a press release issued Friday, the navy stated Palestinian gunmen recklessly fired lots of of rounds at an Israeli navy car, some within the course of the place Abu Akleh was standing. It stated Israeli forces returned hearth, and that with out doing ballistic evaluation it can not decide who was answerable for her demise.
“The conclusion of the interim investigation is that it’s not doable to find out the supply of the hearth that hit and killed the reporter,” the navy stated.
Reporters who have been with Abu Akleh, together with one who was shot and wounded, stated there have been no clashes or militants within the fast space when she was killed early Wednesday. All of them have been sporting protecting gear that clearly recognized them as reporters.
Both facet is more likely to forged doubt on any conclusions reached by the opposite, and there didn’t seem like any chance of a 3rd occasion finishing up an unbiased probe.
The PA and Al Jazeera accused Israel of intentionally killing Abu Akleh inside hours of her demise. Israel says a full investigation is required earlier than any conclusions might be drawn.
Rights teams say Israel not often follows by way of on investigations into the killing of Palestinians by its safety forces and arms down lenient punishments on the uncommon events when it does. This case, nonetheless, is drawing heavy scrutiny as a result of Abu Akleh was a widely known determine and in addition an American citizen.
Abu Akleh, 51, had joined Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language service in 1997 and rose to prominence masking the second Palestinian intifada, or rebellion in opposition to Israeli rule, within the early 2000s.
She was shot within the head early Wednesday whereas masking an Israeli arrest raid in Jenin. Palestinians from in and round Jenin have carried out a collection of lethal assaults inside Israel in latest weeks, and Israel has launched close to day by day arrest raids within the space, usually igniting gunbattles with militants.
Israeli troops pushed into Jenin once more early Friday. An Related Press photographer heard heavy gunfire and explosions, and stated Israeli troops had surrounded a house.
The Palestinian Well being Ministry stated 13 Palestinians have been hospitalized after being wounded within the preventing, together with one who was shot within the abdomen. The Israeli navy tweeted that Palestinians opened hearth when its forces went in to arrest suspected militants. Police stated a 47-year-old member of a particular Israeli commando unit was killed.
Israel captured the West Financial institution and east Jerusalem — together with the Outdated Metropolis and its holy websites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims — within the 1967 battle. The Palestinians need each territories as a part of their future state. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in a transfer not acknowledged internationally and views your complete metropolis as its capital.
Police went to Abu Akleh’s household dwelling in Jerusalem the day she was killed and have proven up at different mourning occasions within the metropolis to take away Palestinian flags.
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Related Press reporters Majdi Mohammed in Jenin, West Financial institution, Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.
