Trouble at Al Jazeera journalist's funeral, police beat participants

Israeli police on Friday pushed and beat the participants at the funeral of the late Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akle. Because of the police intervention, the people carrying the journalist's coffin briefly knocked him down. The journalist's funeral, Shireen Abu Akle, was turned into the perhaps largest performance of Palestinian nationalism, which has been seen in recent times.

These scenes of violence will likely raise anger throughout the Arab world, following Abu Akle's death, which, according to witnesses, was killed by Israeli troops Wednesday during a raid on the occupied West Coast.

Abu Akhel, 51, was a well - known journalist throughout the Arab world, and was synonymous with Al Jazeera's reporting on life under Israeli rule. The journalist, who had 25 years of experience in this television, is seen by Palestinians as a hero.

On Friday evening, the Palestinian public prosecutor said preliminary findings say Abu Akle was deliberately killed by Israeli troops. The prosecution said the investigation into her death would continue. Meanwhile, the Israeli Army said the same day it was killed during the shootout with Palestinian militants and that it can determine who shot the journalist to death.

At the journalist's funeral, thousands waved the Palestinian flag and cheered “Palestina! Palestine” This funeral is considered the largest in Jerusalem since Faisal Hussain, a Palestinian leader, died in 2001.

Before the funeral, a large crowd gathered to convey its coffin from a hospital east of Jerusalem to a Catholic church near the Old Town. Many of the participants had Palestinian flags, and the crowd began cheering “We sacrifice our soul and blood for you, Shireen”.

Thereafter, the Israelite police intervened, pushing those present. The police then began to hit the audience, where a person in the shooting lost control and released the journalist's coffin on the ground. Police ripped up Palestinian flags and threw in shock-bambas to disperse attendees.

Abu Akleh's brother, Tony, said these scenes “claimed Shireeen's reports and honest words... had a huge impact”.

Al Jazeera newspaperer Givara Budeiri said this police crackdown was like Abu Akle's being killed again.

It seems that her voice didn't silence”, she said.

East Jerusalem, which is home to holy sites of Jews, Muslims, and Christians, was conquered by Israel in the Middle East war in 1967. Israel says the whole city is the capital of the state and annexed parts in the east, but the international community does not recognise it as the capital of Israel.

Palestinians claim that East Jerusalem will be the capital of their future state. Israel continues to press showing support for Palestinian citizenship. / REL/