Israel arrests pallbearer beaten at journalist's funeral
Nuha Sharaf
Wed, May 18, 2022,
FILE PHOTO: Family and friends carry the coffin of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh during her funeral in Jerusalem
By Nuha Sharaf
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel police have arrested one of the Palestinian pallbearers beaten by officers at the funeral of slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, the detained man's lawyer said on Wednesday.
A police spokesperson confirmed the arrest of Amro Abu Khdair but said it was not connected to Friday's funeral. He declined to give the reason for the man's arrest.
Images of baton-wielding Israeli officers beating the pallbearers, who at one point nearly dropped Abu Akleh's coffin, drew widespread international condemnation and stoked anger over the killing of the reporter during an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank on May 11.
Abu Khdair's lawyer, Khaldoon Nijm, said his client was arrested on Monday but that the charges were not revealed to him and were based on information from Israel's domestic security service. He said Abu Khdair later told him he was questioned about the funeral.
A police spokesperson said any connection made to the funeral would amount to a "cheap conspiracy". Abu Khdair's custody had been extended until Sunday, police and the lawyer said.
A second pallbearer, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters he had been questioned by police though not arrested.
Israel's Internal Security Minister Omer Barlev said on Saturday he and the police commissioner had appointed a panel to carry out a "comprehensive investigation of what happened during the funeral in order to learn lessons from the event".
Separately Israel is conducting a probe into Abu Akleh's death. The Palestinians are also investigating her killing.
The Palestinians accuse Israel forces of assassinating her. Israel has denied targeting her, saying she may have been shot accidentally by a soldier or by a Palestinian gunman as they exchanged fire in the West Bank city of Jenin.
(Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Tomasz Janowski)
Nuha Sharaf
Wed, May 18, 2022,
FILE PHOTO: Family and friends carry the coffin of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh during her funeral in Jerusalem
By Nuha Sharaf
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel police have arrested one of the Palestinian pallbearers beaten by officers at the funeral of slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, the detained man's lawyer said on Wednesday.
A police spokesperson confirmed the arrest of Amro Abu Khdair but said it was not connected to Friday's funeral. He declined to give the reason for the man's arrest.
Images of baton-wielding Israeli officers beating the pallbearers, who at one point nearly dropped Abu Akleh's coffin, drew widespread international condemnation and stoked anger over the killing of the reporter during an Israeli military raid in the occupied West Bank on May 11.
Abu Khdair's lawyer, Khaldoon Nijm, said his client was arrested on Monday but that the charges were not revealed to him and were based on information from Israel's domestic security service. He said Abu Khdair later told him he was questioned about the funeral.
A police spokesperson said any connection made to the funeral would amount to a "cheap conspiracy". Abu Khdair's custody had been extended until Sunday, police and the lawyer said.
A second pallbearer, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters he had been questioned by police though not arrested.
Israel's Internal Security Minister Omer Barlev said on Saturday he and the police commissioner had appointed a panel to carry out a "comprehensive investigation of what happened during the funeral in order to learn lessons from the event".
Separately Israel is conducting a probe into Abu Akleh's death. The Palestinians are also investigating her killing.
The Palestinians accuse Israel forces of assassinating her. Israel has denied targeting her, saying she may have been shot accidentally by a soldier or by a Palestinian gunman as they exchanged fire in the West Bank city of Jenin.
(Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Tomasz Janowski)
In a raid that has sparked international outrage, baton-wielding Israeli police beat several pallbearers as they carried the journalist's coffin out of a hospital in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.
Updated: May 19, 2022
Amro Abu Khudeir covers his head as he carries the casket of the Al-Jazeera journalist.
Jerusalem:
Israel has arrested one of the pallbearers of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, police said Thursday, but rejected his lawyer's claim that the detention was linked to his role at the funeral.
In a raid that has sparked international outrage, baton-wielding Israeli police beat several pallbearers as they carried the journalist's coffin out of a hospital in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.
Abu Akleh was shot dead during an Israeli army raid in the West Bank last week.
Palestinians and the TV network said Israeli troops killed her, while Israel said she may have been killed by Palestinian gunfire or a stray shot from an Israeli sniper.
A lawyer for pallbearer Amro Abu Khudeir told AFP that his client had been arrested and questioned over his role at the funeral.
According to the lawyer, Khaldoun Najm, Israel also claimed to have "a secret file on (Khudeir's) membership of a terrorist organisation".
"I think they will arrest more young men who participated in the funeral," Najm said. "For them, the subject of the funeral and the coffin was scandalous."
Police dismissed any link between the funeral and Khudeir's arrest.
"We are witnessing an attempt to produce a conspiracy that is fundamentally incorrect," a statement said. "The suspect was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation which contrary to allegations, had nothing to do with his participation in the funeral procession."
Police justifications for the raid at St. Joseph's hospital have varied.
They have cited the need to stamp out "nationalistic" chants and also said that "rioters" among the mourners hurled projectiles at officers.
Israeli forces frequently crack down on displays of Palestinian identity, including the national flag, one of which was draped over Abu Akleh's coffin.
Police have vowed to investigate the controversial incident.
Amro Abu Khudeir covers his head as he carries the casket of the Al-Jazeera journalist.
Jerusalem:
Israel has arrested one of the pallbearers of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, police said Thursday, but rejected his lawyer's claim that the detention was linked to his role at the funeral.
In a raid that has sparked international outrage, baton-wielding Israeli police beat several pallbearers as they carried the journalist's coffin out of a hospital in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.
Abu Akleh was shot dead during an Israeli army raid in the West Bank last week.
Palestinians and the TV network said Israeli troops killed her, while Israel said she may have been killed by Palestinian gunfire or a stray shot from an Israeli sniper.
A lawyer for pallbearer Amro Abu Khudeir told AFP that his client had been arrested and questioned over his role at the funeral.
According to the lawyer, Khaldoun Najm, Israel also claimed to have "a secret file on (Khudeir's) membership of a terrorist organisation".
"I think they will arrest more young men who participated in the funeral," Najm said. "For them, the subject of the funeral and the coffin was scandalous."
Police dismissed any link between the funeral and Khudeir's arrest.
"We are witnessing an attempt to produce a conspiracy that is fundamentally incorrect," a statement said. "The suspect was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation which contrary to allegations, had nothing to do with his participation in the funeral procession."
Police justifications for the raid at St. Joseph's hospital have varied.
They have cited the need to stamp out "nationalistic" chants and also said that "rioters" among the mourners hurled projectiles at officers.
Israeli forces frequently crack down on displays of Palestinian identity, including the national flag, one of which was draped over Abu Akleh's coffin.
Police have vowed to investigate the controversial incident.
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