The family of the Palestinian boy abducted and murdered in Jerusalem this week say his funeral will take place after Friday prayers once a post-mortem has been carried out.
Reports say Mohammed Abu Khdeir’s family believe the Israeli authorities want to delay it until late in the day to minimise trouble following recent escalating violence.
“I hope no mother will have to face what I’m going through now. I want people and the leaders to make a stand, to put an end to these kinds of acts so no other woman suffers like this,” the dead teenager’s mother Suha Abu Khdeir told euronews.
Relatives and neighbours believe extremist Jews killed Mohammed. The burned body was found in a forest a few hours after he went missing.
The Israeli government says it is exploring all lines of inquiry and the motive remains unclear.
Police said on Thursday that they were still trying formally to identify the body.
“We’re still awaiting his body. They told us, they told to this father, actually, the police department, that he will be here tomorrow afternoon,” said one young woman, a cousin of Mohammed.
“Even if we have to wait another year for the body, in the end they’ll be the losers,” another cousin said.
Police are said to have told Mohammed’s family that his murder is being treated as the most important investigation currently underway in Israel.
The boy’s death, which followed those of three young Israelis, has added a new spark to hostilities.
The outgoing Israeli President ُShimon Peres called for inciting hatred to stop after a wave of anti-Arab rhetoric on Israeli social media.
