Israeli police withhold findings from investigation into Shireen Abu Akleh funeral
The images of the charge of the Israeli police in East Jerusalem, Friday May 13, during the funeral of the journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, assassinated Wednesday of a bullet in the head, shocked.
REUTERS - AMMAR AWAD
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
The Israeli police announces, Thursday, June 16, to have concluded the internal investigation into its intervention during the funeral of the Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, without however revealing the content of its conclusions.
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With our correspondent in Jerusalem,
Sami Boukhelifa
A month ago, images of violence at the funeral of Shireen Abu Akleh shocked the whole world.
The Palestinian-American journalist of the Al Jazeera television channel, killed by a bullet in the head during an operation by the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank on the 11th, has become an issue for all the Palestinian people as well as for the Israeli authorities.
A few days after her death, during her burial in Jerusalem,
the Israeli security forces violently charged the crowd and bludgeoned the carriers of the coffin
of the deceased.
The coffin had even failed to fall after the beatings of the Israeli police.
In the process, the Israeli police opened an investigation into the behavior of its own agents.
On the one hand, events of unprecedented violence.
On the other, an enigmatic internal investigation.
The Israeli police issue a simple statement.
"
The police, under my instructions, investigated to assess the action of its forces on the ground, in order to draw conclusions, and improve the operational progress in this type of event
", explains the police commander. Israeli Kobi Shabtai.
How ?
Why such excessive use of force?
Who gave the order?
Are there any penalties?
The questions remain unanswered for the moment.
The behavior of the Israeli police in question
Thousands of Palestinians had attended the funeral of the star journalist of Al Jazeera in East Jerusalem, the Palestinian part of the holy city, occupied and annexed by Israel.
The Palestinian Authority, Al Jazeera and Qatar have all accused the Israeli army of killing the Qatari channel journalist.
“
We cannot remain indifferent to these harsh images, and we must investigate so that sensitive events of this order are not violently disrupted by rioters
”, declares the commander of the Israeli police Kobi Shabtaï, without giving more details.
“
No matter what Israel says or does, the images speak volumes enough.
The police attacked the carriers of the coffin and they are trying to hide their actions and their faults
, ”reacted the brother of the deceased, Anton Abu Akleh, contacted by AFP.
“
The police assaulted the coffin bearers and they are trying to cover up their acts and their faults
,” he added, accusing Israel of being “
behind the assassination
” of his sister.
► To read also: What investigation into the death of Shireen Abu Akleh?
(and with AFP)
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