Red flags should be raised regarding the motives of Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa of Jerusalem in slamming the Israeli police action on Abu Akleh’s funeral procession. He is starkly one-sided. One should immediately wonder why Israeli police would risk charging into a church, attack pallbearers, risk inevitable hostility from their enemies, and attract international scrutiny without having any apparent reason for their actions, especially following the bombardment of accusations over Abu Akleh’s death in the first place
Israeli police reported:
they charged a group of Palestinians carrying the coffin of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh to prevent them from taking the coffin on an “unplanned procession by foot,” against the wishes of the slain journalist’s family…. “During the riot that was instigated by the mob, glass bottles and other objects were thrown, resulting in the injury of both mourners and police officers.”
Read the full story HERE.
“Church leaders slam Israeli police attack on Abu Akleh’s funeral,” Al Jazeera, May 16, 2022:
The top Catholic clergyman in Jerusalem has condemned the police beating of mourners carrying the coffin of slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was killed by Israeli forces last Wednesday, accusing Israeli authorities of violating human rights and disrespecting the Catholic Church.
Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa told reporters on Monday at St Joseph Hospital that the incident, broadcast around the world, was a “disproportionate use of force” against the Palestinian flag-waving crowd of thousands proceeding from the hospital to a nearby Catholic church in Jerusalem’s Old City.
The police attack, Pizzaballa told reporters, “is a severe violation of international norms and regulations, including the fundamental human right of freedom of religion, which must be observed also in a public space”.
“Israel’s police invasion and disproportionate use of force, attacking mourners, striking them with batons, using smoke grenades, shooting rubber bullets, frightening the hospital’s patients, is a severe violation of international norms and regulations,” Pizzaballa said……
bill says
I have read several reports and nowhere have I seen any mention of the police entering a church let alone charging into one. In fact as I understand it the ‘pall bearers were in fact found to be convicted jihadist who were trying to prevent the coffin being placed on the hearse and intended to carry in a procession of flag waving protesters