France Police Slain During Terror Attacks
BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: France remembers and reiterates a message that we've heard a lot over the last couple of days: we will not be beaten by terror. The nation insisting it won't be changed by those attacks. Also ahead, Jewish victims of the Paris attacks are laid to rest as Israel lays out an invitation to European Jews. We're live here in Jerusalem with reaction to that. And Charlie Hebdo takes a bold step with its first edition since the attack, putting a cartoon of Islam's Prophet Mohammed on its cover once more. Hello and welcome to a special edition of Connect the World from Jerusalem. I'm Becky Anderson. We begin tonight in Israel where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the world to take a united stand against terrorism as the nation laid to rest four Jewish victims of last week's terror attacks in Paris. The bodies of all four men were flown to Jerusalem for burial. They were killed in Friday's siege of a French Kosher market. Mr. Netanyahu joining hundreds of mourners at a state funeral for the victims. Atika Shubert reports.</s>ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There is little consolation when a life is taken so abruptly, so violently, but to the families of the four Jewish victims killed in Paris the government of Israel offered this: a funeral in the holy land, their bodies draped in prayer shawls. Israel's leading rabbis read from the Book of Psalms, clothing was torn in a show of mourning and the families lit candles for each victims: Francois-Michel Saada, 63, a father of two children who now live here in Israel; Yohan Cohen, 22, a store employee; and Yoav Hattab, 21, the son of Tunisia's chief rabbi. The wife of 45-year-old Philipe Braham lit his candle. "Philipe, my love," she said in Hebrew, "he was a great man. I said he was a person who thought first of others before himself, a wonderful husband who loved his children and lived for his children." Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered this message to the Jewish community in France.</s>BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translator): They know at the bottom of their hearts that they have one country, their historic birthright, and it will always receive them with open arms. Today, more than ever, we are the true home of all of us.</s>SHUBERT: Well, the funeral service has now ended and the families are walking to the site where the victims will be buried, but I just want to show you the crowds that have come out today to show their respect for the families. Thousands have come out. They've been streaming in all day from all walks of life, young and old, families have been here bringing their children and we see them carrying Israeli flags, but also the photos of the victims. And what's an especially sad thing to note here today is that not only do you see the crowds come out, but this isn't the first time this has happened. In 2012, of course, the Toulouse attack targeted a Jewish school. And some of the victims from that attack are also buried here in Givat Shaul. From Toulouse to Paris, for many here these attacks are further proof that they remained a threatened minority in France and Europe, in need of a secure home in Israel. Jordan Bounique (ph) was a friend of Yohan Cohen's. He moved here a month ago he explained because of the fear and insecurity in France. "You always feel you have to be on your guard, you have to be careful, you never feel really at home, you feel truly rejected and excluded in France," he said. "That's why I preferred to leave and live here now." There is a Hebrew word, Aliyah , it means ascent. For many Jews, moving here to Israel, a return to the promised land is Aliyah , a step closer to God, perhaps especially so in death. Atika Shubert, CNN, Jerusalem.</s>ANDERSON: CNN correspondent Ian Lee also in attendance at the funeral service today and you spoke to some of those who were there. What did they tell you?</s>IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, I wanted to get an idea of who these four men were from their family and friends. And a relative of Philipe Braham told me that he was a simple, hard-working and loving man and who didn't cause trouble to anyone. Also, the father of Yohan Cohen by his grave site when he was laying his son into the ground broke down into tears saying, "I never had a better son. You are a great person. I will look after your sister for you. And I love you." These were very much strong connections that these people had. And it was a very sad and somber day for them, too. And talking to some of their friends, too, I brought up the -- about possibly immigrating here to Israel and what they told me was interesting. They said, but we're French. We like living in France. We don't want to leave. But if the situation gets worse then we may be forced to move here.</s>ANDERSON: And that offer of Aliyah , something we will discuss as we move through this hour. For the time being, Ian, thank you very much indeed for joining us. Well, this has also been a day of grief and tribute in Paris where the first attack happened, of course, six days ago. The Muslim police officer killed in the attack on Charlie Hebdo was laid to rest in a cemetery on the city's outskirts. Ahmed Merabet was fatally shot by the gunmen pointblank outside the magazine's offices. His brother described the killers as mad people who have neither (inaudible) nor religion. Well, before that funeral, there was this solemn scene at national police headquarters. All three officers who died were honored at a ceremony presided over by the French President Francois Hollande. They awarded each of them the Order of Merit and said they died carrying out their duty with courage bravery and dignity. Mr. Hollande also said the nation as a whole has shown tremendous courage and resilience.</s>FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): France showed its strength, its force. Faced with fanaticism, it displayed its unity. Faced with those who wanted to fight it, and expressed its solidarity towards all the victims of terrorism.</s>ANDERSON: Well, some of those victims of terrorism laid to rest today both in Paris and here in Jerusalem, a day to honor and mourn those victims. CNN's Erin McLaughlin is in Paris and joins us now. So what happens next so far as what France says it will do to fight terror and what it is trying to do going forward?</s>ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I first just want to reflect on the words of French President Francois Hollande who was very careful to emphasize that the three police officers who died in those attacks really represented the values of the republic. They represented courage, professionalism, they represented sacrifice. In his words, he said they died so that we can be free. And he named them one by one, including Franck Brinsolaro. He's a married father of two. He was assigned to be the security detail at the Charlie Hebdo offices that had been receiving death threats. He was killed in the Kouachi brother massacre. Then there's Clarissa Jean-Philippe. She was a trainee police officer, a 26-year-old shot dead on the street by the Kosher market killer. And then there's, as you mentioned, Becky, there's Ahmed Merabat, a Muslim police officer who was killed on the streets of Paris outside the Charlie Hebdo offices by one of the Kouachi brothers. And his death was caught on camera to the shock and horror of the world. His funeral was held shortly after today's ceremony. Around 800 people attended. And when his fellow police officers arrived at the funeral, they received a round of applause -- very poignant, very telling round of applause. You know, there's this hashtag that's been going around -- #IamAhmed, you know, people want to express their unity and solidarity with this Muslim police officer, one of three police officers recognized today for their sacrifice, recognized for being and upholding the values of the republic -- Becky.</s>ANDERSON: Erin McLaughlin reporting for you. Still to come tonight, Charlie Hebdo gets set to release its latest addition. And based on the cover, staffers are not the least bit intimidated by those who tried to kill them for what they do. First, though, political division in Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call to French Jews. Is he being insensitive? That's next.