21 May 2022|19 Shawaal 1443
Nader al-Sharif remains unconscious in hospital with a fractured skull after eyewitnesses say he was hit by a rubber-coated bullet fired by Israeli forces on Monday.
It happened during one of the worst nights of violence in weeks in Jerusalem surrounding the funeral of Mr Sharif’s relative Walid, who suffered fatal wounds when police raided al-Aqsa mosque compound last month.
Police say they acted because of “violent disturbances” in the graveyard and elsewhere in which their officers were attacked.
Mr Sharif, 50, had just finished filling the grave with soil when Israeli forces fired at him according to witnesses. His family says he had done nothing wrong and video of the incident appears to show him amid gravestones gesturing to officers not to shoot.
It comes amid a rapidly deteriorating atmosphere as Palestinians accuse Israeli security forces of growing brutality against them in occupied East Jerusalem. The police routinely deny this, instead blaming “rioters” during recent incidents and adding they will uphold security.
The funeral came just three days after that of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, at which security forces kicked and beat pallbearers and fired stun grenades into the crowd of mourners, sparking international condemnation.
The Sharif family say they now feel under attack by security forces. After Nader was taken to hospital, another relative was injured after he appeared to be hit by police at the entrance in an “unprovoked” attack, an account backed by video he filmed at the time.
As the week began, the Sharif family were grieving for Walid and relatives were closely involved in helping with the funeral. Police had tried to limit the number of mourners because of controversy surrounding his death.
In April, according to eyewitnesses Walid al-Sharif, 21, was struck by a rubber bullet fired by Israeli forces near al-Aqsa mosque compound. But police claimed he fell over and hit his head while throwing stones at them. He suffered serious brain injuries and died last week.
On Monday, his older cousin Nader had just finished carrying out the task of filling Walid’s grave with soil.
Simultaneously, heavily armed police raided the graveyard saying they had been attacked by youths throwing stones and rocks.
Nader’s wife Maalam says he raised his hands to assure police he “did not intend to cause trouble, but they did not care and shot him”.
Source BBC NEWS
