Israeli police to analyze ‘occasions’ surrounding funeral of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh: Minister

Israeli police got here below criticism following Friday’s procession, through which television footage confirmed officers placing mourners with batons, forcibly taking down Palestinian flags, and arresting people carrying the flag. One video launched by the Israeli police reveals officers ripping Palestinian flags off the hearse carrying Abu Akleh’s coffin.

The Jerusalem Justice of the Peace Court docket dominated in September 2021 that flying the Palestinian flag isn’t a felony offense in Israel. Nonetheless, CNN witnessed the arrest of a minimum of two people carrying a flag throughout Abu Akleh’s procession.

“Flying the Palestinian flag doesn’t represent an offense below Israeli regulation,” Israeli Knesset member Ahmad Tibi informed CNN on Friday.

“When Omer Bar-Lev was appointed as Israel’s Public Safety Minister, he issued a directive limiting confiscation of Palestinian flags from demonstrators to instances the place there may be an instantaneous danger of disturbance of the peace. However what the police are doing instantly opposes the minister’s orders…What we see is flag-phobia of the Palestinian flag,” he added.

When requested by CNN to make clear the rationale for the taking down of Palestinian flags and the arrest of people carrying the flag, Israel’s police power responded with an announcement, which was additionally shared publicly on its Twitter account.

“Israel Police ready yesterday to facilitate a relaxed and dignified funeral for journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and had coordinated the funeral preparations together with her household. Sadly, tons of of rioters tried to sabotage the ceremony and hurt the police,” learn the assertion.

“Israel Police helps its cops, however as an expert group that seeks to be taught and enhance, it’ll additionally draw classes from the incident,” it added.

On Friday, mourners carried Abu Akleh’s coffin out of the St. Joseph hospital in East Jerusalem, the place her physique remained till the burial, however had been met with robust resistance from Israeli police who compelled them to move the physique by automotive. A flash bomb and tear gasoline had been fired, in line with CNN reporters.

The 51-year-old Palestinian-American Al Jazeera journalist was a outstanding voice throughout the Arab world, delivering what many mentioned was “the voice of Palestinian struggling” and their “aspirations of freedom.”

“She made a big impact on Palestine and all of the folks. She left her fingerprint on everybody’s coronary heart,” Lareen Abu Akleh, Shireen’s niece informed CNN.

Nafisa Khwais, a Palestinian lady who thought of herself a mom determine to Shireen, informed CNN that she had spent all evening on the funeral house the place folks got here to mourn the veteran journalist.

“Shireen is my daughter. Her mother and father died, however we’re all her mother and father. We’re all her household,” Khwais mentioned.

“Two weeks in the past, she hid me behind her again when clashes erupted by Damascus Gate, and mentioned to me: ‘Mom, come right here. I am so fearful about you’ and handed me a bottle of water. I liked Shireen. She was the voice of all Palestinians,” she mentioned.

Friday’s occasions prompted world reactions by varied officers who mentioned they had been “shocked” by what they’d seen.

“We had been deeply troubled by the pictures of Israeli police intruding into the funeral procession of Palestinian American Shireen Abu Akleh. Each household deserves to put their family members to relaxation in a dignified and unimpeded method,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned in a put up on Twitter on Friday.

A senior State Division official mentioned later that Blinken had spoken to the journalist’s household and expressed his condolences whereas en path to a casual assembly of NATO international ministers in Berlin, Germany.

Blinken supplied “his deep condolences for his or her loss,” the official mentioned. Blinken additionally supplied the continued help of the State Division crew in Jerusalem to their household and famous the significance of a free and impartial press, the official mentioned.

Norway’s Ambassador to Israel, Kåre R. Aas, mentioned in a tweet that he was “shocked by the violent conduct of Israeli police forces through the funeral procession” including that “such disproportionate power is inappropriate and unacceptable.”