White House calls images of Israeli police attacking funeral of slain Palestinian journalist 'deeply

[Eugene]

Source: The Independent

White House calls images of Israeli police attacking funeral of slain Palestinian journalist ‘deeply disturbing’

‘We regret the intrusion of what should have been a peaceful procession’

Alex Woodward
New York
13 hours ago

White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the scenes from a funeral procession in Jerusalem for a Palestinian-American journalist who was fatally shot during an Israeli raid “deeply disturbing”, as widely shared footage shows Israeli officers beating pallbearers carrying the coffin containing the body of Shireen Abu Akleh.

“We have all seen those images. They’re obviously deeply disturbing. This is a day where we should all be marking, including everyone there, the memory of a remarkable journalist who lost her life,” Ms Psaki said from the White House on Friday 13 May.

“With the disturbing footage from the funeral procession today in Jerusalem, we regret the intrusion of what should have been a peaceful procession,” she said. “We urge respect for the funeral procession, the mourner and the family at this sensitive time.”

She added that Joe Biden’s administration remains “in close with with Israeli and Palestinian authorities.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/white-house-shireen-abu-akleh-funeral-b2078752.html

[mobeau69]

1. The video was way more than disturbing. It was a disgusting, evil attack.

[Beastly Boy]

2. Is there a video? I only saw still photos.

Can you post a link?
Thanks

[Eugene]

3. Here you go.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-14/israeli-police-clash-with-palestinian-shireen-abu-akleh-mourners/101066644

The ITV video, in the first YouTube link, goes into the deepest context. Israeli forces reacted to the display of Palestinian flags and try to forcibly take them down.

[Beastly Boy]

4. Thank you.

With all the conflicting accounts flying around, the videos give some perspective.

The funeral procession, whoever participated in it, was far from being dignified from the start. Those who brought and conspicuously displayed the Palestinian flags knew full well that it would disrupt the funeral, and their intention was clear.

Under “normal” circumstances, the Israeli police would have been justified in interfering, if not in using force excessively as they did. However, in the context of a funeral procession, their actions were totally disrespectful to the dead journalist and the people who came to mourn and not to protest.

[qwlauren35]

5. There's something really wrong

When you can't have a flag honoring a dead person's heritage at a funeral.

I don't see how you can justify use of excessive force over carrying a flag. That makes absolutely no sense to me. Please think about it.

When African-Americans peacefully protest about the death of someone who is killed at the hands of the police, and the response is "excessive force", someone needs to be sued.

If the dead person had had the Palestinian flag draped on the coffin, would that have been acceptable? Or another justification for "excessive force"?

This consistent making of excuses for Israeli police using excessive force against unarmed civilians makes me sick to my stomach. I don't see how it's justifiable in any way, shape or form.

[Beastly Boy]

6. I was addressing the intent of cefrtain participants in the context of the funeral.

And their intent was to protest, not to mourn.

Nowhere did I advocate in favor of the prohibition against displaying the Palestinian flag or attempted to justify any such prohibition (I personally think this prohibition is plain stupid, not just in the context of a funeral, but in general). But at the funeral, the protestors, easily identifiable by the flags they waved (and I am making a distinction here between mourners and protestors), had a choice to make: keep the funeral dignified, or protest. They chose the latter even prior to the start of the procession. It was their choice. Their actions were deliberate and premeditated, and they bare responsibility for it.

Nor was I making any excuses for the crude and excessive response of the Israeli police. I thought I made it clear when I posted: "However, in the context of a funeral procession, their actions were totally disrespectful to the dead journalist and the people who came to mourn and not to protest".

But I will not make any excuses for the conduct of the Palestinian extremists either.

[qwlauren35]

7. I don't see how you can compare them.

You are saying that waving a flag at a funeral should be met with excessive force.

You're saying that a peaceful protest at a funeral should be met with excessive force.

You are justifying the use of excessive force on people who are unarmed.

As an African-American, I am sick and tired of people justifying the use of excessive force against a peaceful protest, no matter where, when it happens.

I am sick and tired of people justifying the use of excessive force against anyone, anywhere who is unarmed.

And why is waving a flag "extremist"? Why can't it simply be pride? If an African-American were to wave a red-green-black flag at a funeral, would you call them an "extremist"? Were Black Lives Matter protesters (not the rioters, the protesters) considered extremists? Did you think Donald Trump was justified in calling out the police to clear the streets using tear gas to move a group of protesters so that he could hold a Bible in front of a church?

It's all in how you look at it. I don't see protesters as extremists. I just think they are proud Palestinians. Why is that unacceptable? Why does that justify excessive force?

Peaceful protests NEVER justify excessive force, as far as I'm concerned.

Think about the pro-life protesters in front of abortion clinics. I am mad as hell that they are there. I would even call them extremists. But I do not expect anyone to use excessive force to remove them.

Do you believe that it is possible to be pro-Palestine and not be "an extremist"? Or are they the same thing to you?

[Beastly Boy]

8. Now you are putting words in my mouth

No, I am not saying that waving a flag at a funeral should be met with excessive force. I am saying that flag waivers made a deliberate choice to disrupt the funeral.

No, I am not saying that a peaceful protest at a funeral should be met with excessive force. I am saying that a protest at this particular funeral had consequences which were disrespectful and disruptive to the purpose of the funeral.

No, I am not justifying the use of excessive force on people who are unarmed. In fact, I condemned it as being, and I quote, "crude and excessive".

No, I didn't call waving a flag "extremist". I called the people who disrupted the funeral extremist.

It's all there, in my post, in plain English, and I resent any attempts to be held responsible for what I never said. You can be sick and tired all you want, but being sick and tired doesn't give you the right to misrepresent what I posted.

And hell yeah, not only do I believe that it is possible to be pro-Palestine and not be "an extremist", I am convinced of it. This is why I clearly made a distinction between the Palestinians who came to the funeral to mourn and the Palestinians who came to the funeral to disrupt it.

Just set aside your preconceived notions for a minute and read the damn post!