Thousands Pray at Joseph's Tomb in Nablus Marking Call to Reclaim Site

Thousands of worshippers entered Joseph's Tomb in Nablus (Shechem) overnight Tuesday for prayer, in an event supported by volunteers from the Samaria Regional Council and accompanied by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops. Among the attendees were prominent figures including Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, Samaria Chief Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, Knesset member Tzvi Sukkot, and Rabbi Yossi Elitzur, head of the Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva. IDF and security commanders such as Brigadier General Kobi Heller and Border Police commander Niso Guetta also participated.

Rabbi Elyakim Levanon emphasized the spiritual significance of the site, stating that "Joseph the Righteous has waited thousands of years for redemption, which symbolizes the redemption of the people of Israel." Rabbi Yossi Elitzur called on the Israeli government to establish a permanent presence at the tomb. Yossi Dagan framed the event as a pivotal moment, declaring it "the beginning of the correction of the Oslo Accords," criticizing the 2000 Israeli withdrawal from the site as a grave mistake that left the tomb vulnerable to Palestinian Authority control and damage.

Dagan highlighted the current security challenges facing Israel and the West Bank, including ongoing terrorism, and urged the government to respond by restoring Israeli sovereignty over Joseph's Tomb. He called for the return of the IDF and the yeshiva to the site and the raising of the Israeli flag, asserting that even under the Oslo Accords, the site should remain under Israeli control. Knesset member Tzvi Sukkot echoed these sentiments, condemning the neglect and loss of the site to Palestinian militants and demanding a full Israeli return to the tomb to rectify this injustice.

The event symbolizes a broader push by Israeli leaders and settlers to reclaim and secure Jewish holy sites in the West Bank amid escalating tensions and violence, marking a significant political and religious statement about Israeli presence in the area.