A group of eight Members of Knesset was shot at while they were visiting the Tomb of Biblical Joseph located in Shechem (Nablus) on Tuesday night, as they were leaving the compound surrounding the Tomb. No casualties were reported either to the MKs or to the Israeli security forces tasked with protecting them, while one terrorist was killed.
“The battle for Israel’s existence begins and is focused on the holy sites but the people who are looking to wipe out the Jewish people understand that if we abandon the land, even the tiniest piece, then they can and will achieve their goal,” MK Nissim Vaturi from Likud, who took part in the visit, told Israel365 News.
Joseph’s tomb is located in Area A, which falls under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Israelis are forbidden to visit Area A without special authorization. The IDF periodically organizes special convoys to allow Jews who wish to go and pray on Joseph’s tomb to do so, usually in the middle of the night. The visits are coordinated with the Palestinian Authority.
In addition to Vaturi, the gathering of MKs included Idit Silman, Amichai Chikli and Boaz Bismuth (Likud), Yoni Meshariki (Shas), Ohad Tal (Religious Zionist), and Almog Cohen and Limor Sohn Har-Meleh (Otzma Yehudit). The visit was arranged in advance with Israel security forces.
Before the visit, a Palestinian group calling itself the “Balata Brigade” warned that they were “ready.”
“You will see the unthinkable,” the group said.
The IDF confirmed in a statement that while providing security to worshippers entering the Joseph’s Tomb compound, the soldiers responded to gunfire, shooting at a terrorist who “placed a bomb in the area” and a “hit was detected.” The terrorist neutralized by the IDF was later identified by Palestinian sources as a member of the Balata Brigade. Palestinian media reported that the terrorist, who was 15 years old, had died from shrapnel wounds from the device he was holding exploding as a result of IDF gunfire. Three other terrorists were reported to be wounded.
“We snuck into the holy site in the middle of the night in a shameful manner like thieves,” Vaturi said. “The fact that so many members of the Knesset thought it was important enough to risk their lives to visit Joseph’s Tomb says a lot; about how important the site is to Israel and what we intend to do when we are in the Knesset. It is important that we send the message that we will not abandon the site or any of the Holy Land.”
