Hundreds Enter Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus Under Israeli Military Protection
Israeli military vehicles moved into the eastern section of Nablus ahead of the visit, while residents living near the site were ordered to leave their homes. Several of the surrounding houses were reportedly converted into military positions, with Israeli snipers stationed on the rooftops of a number of buildings.
Buses carrying hundreds of Israeli occupiers arrived in the area before proceeding to “Joseph’s Tomb,” where the visitors conducted religious rituals at the site.
The visit took place as Israeli incursions into Muslim religious sites have increased during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which began Sept. 26 and is scheduled to continue through Oct. 2.
The latest incident followed a large-scale entry into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday. Nearly 2,500 Israeli occupiers entered the compound under Israeli police protection during the holiday, according to the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf Department.
The Waqf Department said the incursions have involved various activities, including Talmudic rituals, prayers, dancing and singing. It reported that more than 1,500 occupiers entered the compound Sunday, followed by more than 1,700 on Monday and over 1,400 on Tuesday.
“Joseph’s Tomb” lies on the eastern outskirts of Nablus in an area administered by Palestinian authorities and has long remained one of the most sensitive religious sites in the occupied West Bank.
Since Israel’s occupation of the West Bank in 1967, Jewish worshippers have considered the location a sacred site and have maintained that the remains of the Prophet Joseph, the son of Jacob, are buried there.
The historical identity of the site, however, remains disputed. Archaeologists have challenged the belief that it contains Joseph’s remains, arguing that the structure dates back only several centuries and is more likely to be the burial place of a Muslim religious figure known as Yusuf Dweikat.
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