At least 700,000 mourners gathered in Jerusalem today for the funeral of influential ultra-orthodox Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
Thousands of police officers were deployed to control the crowds clamouring to stand near the spiritual leader’s body on the day of his death, as per Jewish tradition.
Ambulance workers reported 20 people had been injured in the commotion, also attended by President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Iraqi-born Rabbi – founder of the Shas Party and a leading Torah scholar – was 93 when he died shortly before 1.30pm today.
He was an arbiter of Halacha (Jewish law) and promoted rights for Jews emigrated from the Middle East and North Africa.
Around 100 followers spent the night and day standing outside his ward in Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem after doctors announced the situation was critical as they tried to control ‘a total failure of his body systems’.
Mr Netanyahu described Rabbi Ovadia as ‘among the greatest rabbis of our generation’.
‘The Jewish People have lost one of the wisest men of this generation.
‘I admired his amiable personality and his direct approach.
‘In my meetings with him I was always made wiser and learned something.
‘I send my condolences to his family, to his students, and his followers.’
One of the nation’s most important figures, Rabbi Ovadia’s health has been at the centre of media attention over the last few weeks.
He was hospitalised last month after complications following kidney treatment.
