Europe

Thousands attend funeral of Israeli Istanbul attack victim

Associated Press
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Israeli Arabs carry the coffin of Leanne Nasser, who was killed in the New Year's Eve attack in Istanbul, during her funeral, in the town of Tira, Israel, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017. Nasser, an 18-year-old Arab-Israeli from the town of Tira, was celebrating with friends when the gunman came in and opened fire. At least 39 people were killed and nearly 70 injured in the mass shooting that took place in front of and inside a popular Istanbul nightclub in the first hours of New Year's Day. The victims included citizens of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, France, Tunisia, India, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Canada, Israel, Syria, Belgium, Germany and Russia. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) (The Associated Press)

Lucy, mother of Leanne Nasser, center, mourns during the funeral of her daughter, who was killed in the New Year's Eve attack in Istanbul, in the town of Tira, Israel, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017. Nasser, an 18-year-old Arab-Israeli from the town of Tira, was celebrating with friends when the gunman came in and opened fire. At least 39 people were killed and nearly 70 injured in the mass shooting that took place in front of and inside a popular Istanbul nightclub in the first hours of New Year's Day. The victims included citizens of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, France, Tunisia, India, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Canada, Israel, Syria, Belgium, Germany and Russia. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) (The Associated Press)

Family and friends of Leanne Nasser, who was killed in the New Year's Eve attack in Istanbul, mourn during her funeral, in the town of Tira, Israel, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017. Nasser, an 18-year-old Arab-Israeli from the town of Tira, was celebrating with friends when the gunman came in and opened fire. At least 39 people were killed and nearly 70 injured in the mass shooting that took place in front of and inside a popular Istanbul nightclub in the first hours of New Year's Day. The victims included citizens of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, France, Tunisia, India, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Canada, Israel, Syria, Belgium, Germany and Russia. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) (The Associated Press)

Thousands of people attended the funeral on Tuesday of an 18-year-old Arab Israeli woman who was killed in the Istanbul nightclub attack.

Layan Nasser was celebrating New Year's with three friends on a trip to Istanbul when she was killed.

Mourners wept as they marched through the streets of the city of Tira behind a wooden coffin. One woman carried a sign with a picture of Nasser and the image of a rose.

Tira Mayor Mamoun Abd El Hai said the city declared a day of mourning in memory of Nasser, with banks and municipal offices closed.

"She had dreams to work, to progress, to study, to raise a family, but unfortunately the terror put an end to her dreams and ended her life," Abd El Hai told The Associated Press.

The friends who traveled with Nasser mourned her loss.

"The biggest blow is that we lost my best friend," one of them, Alaa Abd El Hai, told Israeli Channel 2 TV. Another Israeli traveling with Nasser was wounded in the attack. Abd El Hai said Nasser worked with her as a dental assistant.

Nasser's father, Zaher Nasser, told Israeli Channel 10 TV he had a bad feeling about his daughter's trip to Istanbul.

"I was very concerned about this trip. I asked her not to travel in light of the bad security situation there, but she insisted to go with her friends," he said.