Hundreds attend funeral for Border Police officer slain in Jerusalem attack
19-year-old Hadar Cohen's partner, Ravit Mirilashvili who was wounded at the scene Wednesday left hospital to attend funeral.
By MOSHE COHEN - MAARIV HASHAVUA, JPOST.COM STAFF, BEN HARTMANUpdated: FEBRUARY 4, 2016 18:55Border Police officers mourn at the funeral for slain coporal Hadar Cohen, February 4, 2016 (photo credit: AVSHALOM SHOSHANI)
Hundreds of mourners gathered Thursday in Yehud ahead of the funeral procession for slain Border Police officer Hadar Cohen, who was killed in a terror attack the day before at Jerusalem's Damascus Gate.The 19-year-old was buried in the central Israeli city's military cemetery.Among those who paid t heir last respects to Cohen were her fellow Border Police colleagues, who were seen in tears congregating and hugging.Cohen's partner, Ravit Mirilashvili, who was wounded at the scene Wednesday left the Jerusalem hospital that had been treating her in order to attend the funeral with her family.Hadar Cohen (Credit: Courtesy)Hadar Cohen (Credit: Courtesy)Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan eulogized Cohen on Thursday, saying that she was a fighter “who carried a great burden on her shoulders and a big smile on her face.”Erdan praised Cohen for her response on Thursday, saying that she protected her "friend from certain death at the hands of the enemy, who was killed before he could carry out his plot.”He also said that Cohen joins a long list of storied heroes from Israel’s past.National Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich also praised her conduct, saying that she “fought like a lion and was vanquished by a terrorist”, and that her courage “has chiseled a new chapter in the glorious tradition of the Border Police and the Israel Police.”
Three Arab terrorists wielding machine guns, pipe bombs and knives perpetrated the attack on Wednesday. All three assailants were shot dead at the scene.Cohen died of her wounds sustained in the attack shortly after being rushed to Hadassah-University Medical Center at Mount Scopus.Following the deadly attack, security forces made a number of arrests in Kabatiya overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, operating in the West Bank village near Jenin from which three Palestinian terrorists launched Wednesday's attack the Border Police officers.The IDF has placed the village under a semi-closure, allowing all humanitarian goods and passage, but placing restrictions on ordinary movements by residents in and out of Kabatiya.Furthermore, IDF Engineering Corps units mapped out the homes of the three terrorists in the village ahead of their expected demolition.