Middle East

Scenes of mourning in Israel after synagogue attack

Funerals are being held for the victims of a Jan. 27 attack at a synagogue in East Jerusalem that killed seven people. On Sunday, relatives buried Eli Mizrahi, 48, and his wife, Natalie Mizrahi, 45. During the funeral, several mourners said that their deaths were part of a larger, divine plan for Israel. One read from scripture and said that “of course, anyone who was murdered in the name of God, and absolutely if he was murdered by Palestinians, it is in the name of God, then there is purpose in that terrible tragedy.”

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Rafael Ben-Eliyahu, 56, was another victim laid to rest on Sunday.

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

The shooting, which Israeli authorities said was the work of a single Palestinian gunman, was the deadliest attack in Israel in years. It came after an Israeli raid on a Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin, in the West Bank, that killed 10 Palestinians. The violence continued Sunday as hundreds of Israeli settlers targeted Palestinians in the occupied territory.

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Relatives of Eli and Natalie Mizrahi gathered Sunday in Beit Shemesh to mourn their deaths.

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf For The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf For The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf For The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf For The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf For The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf For The Washington Post

Relatives of Rafael Ben-Eliyahu at Givat Shaul cemetery on Sunday.

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Mourners carry the body of Rafael Ben-Eliyahu on Sunday at Givat Shaul cemetery in Jerusalem.

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

The family of 56-year-old shooting victim Rafael Ben-Eliyahu at his funeral in Jerusalem on Sunday.

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf For The Washington Post

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

Shira Rubin and William Booth in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Kobi Wolf for The Washington Post

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Credits

Photo editing and production by Kenneth Dickerman