Tourists reportedly attacked by Palestinian mob at Joseph's Tomb, removed by PA police
Five tourists were removed from Joseph’s tomb on Monday by Palestinian Authority police officers.
The monument is a Jewish holy site under Palestinian control in the West Bank city of Nablus, the biblical Shechem.
According to Israeli media outlets, the group was attacked by a hostile mob as they entered the site without prior authorization from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
Initial reports indicated that they were Israelis but later the IDF clarified that they were tourists, with no further details.
Large groups of Orthodox Jews visit the biblical patriarchs' tomb regularly while under IDF protection, which often sparks conflict with Palestinian locals. Israeli citizens are not allowed to enter Palestinian cities without receiving prior authorization and protection from the IDF.
According to IDF reports, two members of the group were injured by Palestinians who threw stones at the tourists as they entered the shrine. The two injured tourists received medical treatment at the site before being removed from the area.
The gravesite of Joseph's tomb, located in Area A of the West Bank, is considered by many to be the last resting place of the biblical patriarch. The site has seen several recent violent incidents as conflicts have escalated in the West Bank over the past year and a half.
In August, four IDF soldiers were injured by an explosive device at the entrance of the shrine when they attempted to secure the entrance for the visiting Jewish pilgrims.
During the summer of 2022, a Palestinian teen was killed by a sniper during a terror attack on Jewish worshippers, and in April of last year, over 100 Palestinians vandalized the Jewish patriarch’s tomb and set fire to the site, causing significant damage.
According to Israeli officials, the Oslo Accords guarantee access to the tomb, but IDF soldiers are routinely attacked by terrorists when they escort pilgrims to the site.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
