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Karen Yemima Mosquera

Ministers dodge funeral for Ecuadoran victim of Jerusalem terror attack

Government Secretariat unable to find even one cabinet member willing to attend funeral for Karen Mosquera; Jerusalem Mayor Barkat delivers eulogy.

All the cabinet ministers love to speak with much pathos about the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people; and each and every one of them has suggestions on how to quell the riots that have hampered life in the city for several months now.

 

 

But when they're asked to attend the funeral of a terror victim killed in Jerusalem, they all seem to vanish into thin air.

 

Not a single government representative attended the funeral early Monday morning of Karen Yemima Mosquera, 22, who was seriously wounded in the hit-and-run attack in Jerusalem on Wednesday last week and succumbed to her wounds five days later.

 

Funeral for Karen Mosquera (Photo: EPA) (Photo: EPA)
Funeral for Karen Mosquera (Photo: EPA)

 

Yedioth Ahronoth has learned that the Government Secretariat did indeed approach several ministers with a request that they attend the funeral on behalf of the government, but none chose to do so.

 

The funeral was attended by some 400 people, including Mosquera's mother, who made the trip from Ecuador. The funeral procession began at the Shamgar Funeral Home; and after the eulogies, Mosquera was laid to rest on the Mount of Olives.

 

The funeral of the terrorist who carried out the hit-and-run attack took place at the same time.

 

In keeping with official protocol, the government is required to send a representative to the funeral of terror victims.

 

Representatives of the Foreign Ministry accompanied Mosquera's family members from the moment they landed in the country and up until the funeral.

 

Karen Mosquera, left, died five days after the terror attack
Karen Mosquera, left, died five days after the terror attack

 

The Government Secretariat was informed of the funeral time at 8:45 PM  – four hours ahead of time. Immediately after learning of the precise time, the Government Secretariat approached several ministers in the hope of finding one who would agree to attend the funeral. All refused to attend, claiming they were unable to do so. The Government Secretariat even approached Housing Minister Uri Ariel, forgetting he is a Cohen and therefore is not permitted to enter cemeteries.

 

The result: Not a single government representative attended the funeral of a young woman from Ecuador who came to Israel to convert to Judaism and live here out of a great love for the Jewish people.

 

 

The funeral was attended by Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Ecuador's ambassador in Israel, both of whom delivered eulogies.

 

Government Secretariat sources confirmed this report.

 


פרסום ראשון: 10.28.14, 15:28
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