Some people would argue that the main driver of tensions in the Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East is land, the right to be independent and recognized and religion. The real chief driver of the tensions is actually difficult to determine, but these factors definitely play an important role.
Empathy is the abilty to both understand someone's feelings then share in those feelings. At funerals people are sad at the loss of a loved one, so it is empathetic to feel the same way.