US religious freedom report notes attack on Abu Akleh funeral

By William On May 15, 2023

Washington, D.C. – An annual US report on world religious freedom notes the Israeli army’s attack on the funeral of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in Jerusalem last year, acknowledging that the Israeli police beating mourners at the pageant.

The 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom, released Monday, said that on May 13, 2022, Israeli authorities used force to “disrupt” the funeral of the Palestinian-American reporter, who had been fatally shot by Israeli forces days earlier. The attack led to international condemnations last year.

“Before the procession, dozens of Israeli policemen wearing protective gear stormed into the crowds gathered at the hospital with her body, entered the hospital, beat and pushed people inside with batons and deployed tear gas and shock grenades, according to Israeli media and images released by the hospital,” the U.S. State Department report said.

It cited Israeli media reports saying a police officer told mourners that the funeral procession would not begin until the crowd’s “nationalist chants” stopped.

“A video during the funeral procession shows police beating pallbearers with batons, so that the coffin almost fell to the ground,” the US report said. “Police seized Palestinian flags from the coffin, hearse and mourners.”

While the administration of US President Joe Biden previously expressed concern over the “intrusion” of Abu Akleh’s funeral by Israeli police, Monday’s report marks a detailed admission of the incident. Israeli authorities did not punish the officers involved in the attack.

Last year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was “deeply disturbed” by “images” of the attack on Abu Akleh’s funeral, but stopped short of denouncing Israel’s conduct.

“Every family deserves to be able to bury their loved ones in a dignified and unobstructed manner,” Blinken said at the time.

Abu Akleh, a veteran Al Jazeera correspondent, was shot by the Israeli army on May 11, 2022 while reporting on a raid on the Palestinian city of Jenin.

Last week, Abu Akleh’s family and Al Jazeera Media Network again called for accountability in the case on the first anniversary of her murder.

The Biden administration has condemned Abu Akleh’s death by shooting, but has accepted the Israeli account that the journalist was killed unintentionally. Still, multiple independent investigations by media outlets and eyewitnesses have said the journalist was not in the immediate vicinity of any fighting when she was shot.

Washington, which provides Israel with at least $3.8 billion in military aid each year, has also rejected attempts to hold Abu Akleh accountable at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Raid on Jerusalem

Monday’s report also noted criticism from religious minorities and rights groups of Israel’s Basic Law, stating that “the right to national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.”

The report details an Israeli National Police (INP) raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, in April 2022.

“Media reported that INP beat mosque staff, elderly, youth and paramedics,” it said.

“According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, INP hindered the arrival of ambulances and paramedics; Palestinian media said dozens of injured worshipers were trapped in the compound.

“The media reported that at least 158 Palestinians were injured and estimated that INP detained 300-400 persons; INP reported that three officers were injured.”

Israeli forces similarly stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan this year.

The US report on Monday cited restrictions on Easter services at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem in 2022 that also came into effect this year.

“The authorities said they would allow 4,000 worshipers to attend services, with 1,800 in the church. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate stated that 11,000 persons usually attend. The Patriarchate issued a statement saying it was “tired of police restrictions on freedom of worship,” it said.

“A police representative said the decision was ‘all about safety and nothing else at all’.”

Introducing the report, which covers more than 200 countries and territories around the world, US Ambassador for International Religious Freedoms Rashad Hussain said he had attended Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious services during a visit to Jerusalem and the United States last month. West Bank.

“I sat down with government leaders and leaders of the Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities to discuss the importance of religious coexistence and protecting access to these religious sites,” Hussain said Monday.

Other findings

The report renewed criticism of what the US says are “serious violations” by China against religious minorities, including Uyghur Muslims and Tibetan Buddhists. Beijing has previously denounced Washington’s allegations of religious freedom violations, including accusations of genocide against the Uyghur population.
In its section on India, an ally of the US, the document notes reports of “violence by law enforcement agencies against members of religious minorities in multiple states,” including the flogging of Muslim men and the demolition of Muslim homes and shops. India has also rejected previous US allegations of religious freedom violations.
The report highlighted the death of Mahsa Amini in Iranian police custody last year after she was arrested for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. “Her death sparked nationwide protests against compulsory hijab and the government’s treatment of women,” the report said. “Social media and international press reported that women of all ages, including schoolgirls, protested by publicly removing and in some cases burning their hijabs.”