Thousands Visit Joseph's Tomb in Nablus Calling to Restore Jewish Presence

Thousands of worshippers entered the Joseph's Tomb compound in Nablus (Shechem) overnight between Monday and Tuesday, accompanied by Israeli Defense Forces and public officials. The event marked the first time in 26 years that a prayer service was held at the site, which has been under Palestinian Authority control since Israel's withdrawal in 2000. Among the participants were Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, Knesset member Tzvi Sukkot, Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, and Rabbi Yossi Elitzur, head of the Od Yosef Chai yeshiva.

The visit included senior military officials such as Brigadier General Kobi Heller, commander of the Judea and Samaria Division, and other security commanders. Rabbi Levanon emphasized the spiritual significance of Joseph's Tomb, stating that "Joseph the Righteous has been waiting for redemption for thousands of years," and called for continuous access to the site. Rabbi Elitzur urged the government to "make a covenant and choose to maintain a permanent presence at Joseph's Tomb."

Yossi Dagan highlighted the timing of the visit amid ongoing terror attacks and the 21st anniversary of Israel's disengagement from Gush Katif and northern Samaria. He criticized the government's 2000 decision to withdraw from the site, calling it an absurdity that Joseph's Tomb remains "in captivity." Dagan demanded the return of the yeshiva and IDF presence, with the Israeli flag flying again over the site, stating, "The answer to terror is building the land," and that Joseph's Tomb should be "the beginning of the correction."

Knesset member Tzvi Sukkot condemned the previous abandonment of the site, calling it a symbol of weakness and neglect that allowed the Palestinian Authority to control a sacred Jewish heritage site. He declared that "the time has long come to fully return to Joseph's Tomb and rectify the injustice."

The event was organized with the assistance of volunteers from the Joseph's Tomb and Holy Sites Administration of the Samaria Regional Council and was marked by a Torah scroll being brought into the compound in a moving ceremony. The visit underscores ongoing Israeli efforts to reassert Jewish presence at key religious and historical sites in the West Bank despite security challenges.