By Abdelraouf Arna'out
JERUSALEM (AA) – Thousands of Palestinians on Friday participated in the funeral ceremony of Al Jazeera's veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in occupied East Jerusalem.
The funeral started from the St Louis French Hospital in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood till reaching the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin where the funeral service was held.
Meanwhile, the Israeli police attacked the funeral in the French hospital and prevented Palestinians from holding posters or Palestine flags in the ceremony.
The Israeli police used stun grenade, tear gas and batons in assaulting the Palestinians, which left dozens injured, according to a statement by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
Eyewitnesses reported that Abu Akleh's casket was about to fall on the ground due to the Israeli assault on the Palestinians who were carrying it.
Foreign diplomats, including those of Qatar and the US, joined the funeral procession of the slain journalist.
Abu Akleh was buried next to her parents in the Mount Zion Protestant Cemetery in Jerusalem's Old City.
The veteran journalist was covering an Israeli military raid near the Jenin refugee camp in occupied West Bank when she was shot dead on Wednesday. Palestinian officials and the Doha-based Al Jazeera network said she was targeted by Israeli forces.
* Writing by Ahmed Asmar