A group of five Israeli men who entered the city of Shechem (Nablus), which is under the control of the Palestinian Authority, to pray at Kever Yosef (Joseph’s Tomb) on Monday night were attacked and two were seriously wounded.
הרכב של היהודים שהוצת ע'י המחבלים בפיגוע הירי ב-קבר יוסף pic.twitter.com/r6v31NaDys
— בז news (@1717Bazz) August 30, 2022
The group, which entered the city without coordinating their visit with the IDF, was attacked by a mob, shot at, their car was torched and burned, and they were subsequently rescued by IDF forces after hiding.
A 17-year-old was seriously wounded and was evacuated by helicopter, and another man sustained moderate injuries and was evacuated to Beilinson Hospital for medical treatment.
הצלה ללא גבולות יו"ש: סיכום : 5 ישראלים נכנסו ללא אישור לשכם לקבר יוסף בוצע לעברם ירי 2 נפגעו הם נטשו את הרכב שהוצת ע"י הפורעים
כוחות צה"ל נכנסו לשכם וחברו אליהם והם הוצאו למחסום שנמצא 100 מטר צפונית (לכיוון שכם) מכיכר חטיבת שומרון ושם חברו לאמבולנסים 2 מפונים לטיפול 1 קשה > pic.twitter.com/pBdQYWYZ4z— בז news (@1717Bazz) August 30, 2022
The other three were detained by police for questioning.
The entry of Israeli worshippers into Shechem occurs several times a year. The prayers take place only during the night and under heavy security provided by the Israeli security forces. The worshippers are often attacked by Arab terrorists. Entry into the city without the permission of the Israeli authorities is illegal.
Yosef’s tomb is often the focal point of terrorist attacks. In June, Arab terrorists shot at hundreds of Israelis who had entered Shechem to pray at Yosef’s Tomb, injuring three of them.
הרכב שהוצת ע"י המחבלים לאחר בפיגוע בקבר יוסף pic.twitter.com/ZPQdezl9nx
— בז news (@1717Bazz) August 30, 2022
Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Council, stated Monday night that “once again a barbaric terrorist incident from the Arab Authority, which incites and encourages terrorism. The Authority is responsible for the barbaric murder attempt.”
He called on the IDF to “put its hands on the terrorists, and eradicate the murderers’ nests in Shechem. Only the IDF’s full control of Yosef’s Tomb can maintain the safety of the worshipers in Shechem.”
Yosef’s Tomb, situated fairly close to the entrance to the city, is under Israeli control as per the 1995 Oslo Accords.
Member of Knesset Orit Strock stated that the fact that the worshipers entered without coordination “is completely marginal. The previous attack was carried out against a group that entered with coordination, and one of the wounded was the coordinating brigadier himself. We must not accept the norm that the terrorists are trying to dictate.”
“It must be made clear to the Palestinian Authority: the entrance of worshipers to Yosef’s Tomb must be safe, otherwise the IDF will return to permanent security at the site,” she said.
