Outcry after Israel police beat mourners at funeral
JERUSALEM: Israel’s police chief on Saturday ordered a probe into the actions of officers at the funeral of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, after they charged the procession and beat pallbearers, sparking global outrage. Thousands of mourners packed Jerusalem’s Old City on Friday for the burial of the 51-year-old Al Jazeera reporter. Witnesses say the Palestinianamerican was shot dead two days earlier by Israeli police during a raid in occupied West Bank, which Israel has denied.
Television footage showed pallbearers struggling to stop Abu Akleh’s casket from falling to the ground as baton-wielding police charged towards them, grabbing Palestinian flags.
“The Israel Police Commissioner in coordination with the Minister of Public Security has instructed that an investigation be conducted into the incident,” the police said in a statement.
They had coordinated funeral arrangements with the journalist’s family but “rioters tried to sabotage the ceremony and harm the police,” it said.
The US was “deeply troubled to see the images of Israeli police intruding into her funeral procession,” secretary of state Antony Blinken said on Friday. The European Union condemned what it said was “unnecessary force” used by the Israeli police. On Saturday the foundation of late South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu said scenes of Israeli police attacking the pallbearers were “chillingly reminiscent” of what happened during the funerals of anti-apartheid activists.
In a rare, unanimous statement, the UN Security Council condemned the killing, calling for “an immediate, thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation,” diplomats said.