The Christian leaders called the police’ actions at the funeral, which took place in the parking compound of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Jerusalem, a “violent intrusion.”
“The Police stormed into a Christian health institute, disrespecting the Church, disrespecting the health institute, disrespecting the memory of the deceased and forcing the pallbearers almost to drop the coffin,” they said.
“Israeli Police’s 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, including the fundamental human right of freedom of religion, which must be observed also in a public space.”
The leaders who signed the statement include the Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the bishops and the faithful of the Christian Churches in the Holy Land.
The hospital, which has served patients of all religions since the 1950s under the care of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition, served as the starting point for Abu Akleh’s funeral procession. The coffin was supposed to be transported in a hearse. Israeli police claim that the walking procession was “unplanned” and unwanted by the victim’s family, and that they intervened to take the coffin back from “rioters.”
Abu Akleh’s brother Anton said the family had given the funeral arrangements to the police, the AP reported. He said: “We wanted to put the coffin in the car. We were going to the car when they attacked us.”
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