Church leaders in Jerusalem condemn the behavior of the Israeli police during the funeral of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh last Friday. They consider that there has been an attack on freedom of worship.
With our correspondent in Jerusalem, Michael Paul
The press conference took place at St. Joseph’s Hospital in East Jerusalem, precisely where the most serious incident took place during the funeral of the Palestinian-American journalist: the baton attack on the funeral procession of Shireen Abu Akleh by the Israeli police who had taken over the place.
” We, as Christian churches, condemn the events of last Friday, said Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa. We demand freedom of worship. It is also the right to celebrate a funeral, the last important moment in anyone’s life. And security reasons cannot justify what happened. »
Several diplomatic legations in Jerusalem had asked the Israeli authorities to exercise caution during the funeral of the star reporter for the Al Jazeera channel. Calls that have gone unanswered, says Father Luc Pareydt, adviser for religious affairs at the Consulate General of France. ” There was no coordination in the formal sense of the word. We sent this note verbale and back… You know, they very rarely respond, and the response was what we know. »
Officials of Saint-Joseph hospital intend to file a complaint against the incursion of the establishment under French supervision and the violence of the Israeli police.