Prime Minister Naftali Bennett condemned Sunday the vandalism of a Jewish holy site in the West Bank city of Nablus.
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About a hundred Palestinians entered the complex and torched the tomb revered as that of the biblical figure Joseph, damaging the site, including the tomb itself, the chandelier, and the electrical distribution board.
"We will not come to terms with such an attack, in a place that is sacred to us, and on the eve of Passover," Bennett said, vowing to "find the perpetrators."
"I saw the pictures and was shocked," he said and assured the damage would be repaired.
A flashpoint sight, Joseph's Tomb is often targeted by rioters. In September 2021, dozens of Palestinians attacked a convoy of busses carrying Jewish worshippers to the sacred site. Two soldiers sustained minor injuries in the clash. In 2015, the tomb was torched by Palestinian rioters as tensions escalated amid near-daily stabbings of Israelis by terrorists.
In October 2000, terrorists attacked the tomb which had a small military presence, killing one Israeli soldier in the process. That same month, Israel evacuated the complex in an attempt to decrease in violence in the area, and the Palestinian Authority vowed to return the tomb to its original state after the evacuation, and after the tensions had settled down.
IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ran Kochav told Army Radio the rioters were apprehended by Palestinian security forces.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz condemned the incident, saying it was "a violation of freedom of worship in one of the holiest places for every Jew. It violates the feelings of the entire Jewish nation, especially when it occurs during the Muslim holy month." He vowed, "the State of Israel will take action to ensure that the site will be refurbished and quickly returned to its original condition. In addition, we will take all the measures necessary to prevent such incidents."
Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, called the attack "shocking," especially as it comes ahead of "Passover, the holiday of freedom."
Dagan criticized the government for having evacuated the site.
"The State of Israel must bring the IDF back to the site. Once again, the barbarians from the Palestinian Authority are showing their true faces: [they are like] the Islamic State … sewing terrorism across the country."
Otzma Yehudit MK Itamar Ben-Gvir concurred, calling on the Israeli government "to launch a massive operation in the PA to erase the government of Mahmoud Abbas – a government of terrorists who shed Jewish blood and harm holy Jewish sites."
Following the incident, the Ad Kan organization issued the following statement: "The Arabs are trying to drive us out of our land, but we are here to stay. Furthermore, the tomb is one of the most historical sites of the Jewish people who have visited there since ancient times. We call on Benny Gantz to increase the security and to invite more Jews to visit the holy site to strengthen the place".
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