Israeli Settlers Storm St. Joseph's Tomb in Nablus
A heavily guarded Israeli raid reopened daylight prayers at St. Joseph’s Tomb, reigniting Palestinian fears of territorial encroachment.
NABLUS, WEST BANK — Israeli forces imposed a sweeping military cordon east of Nablus early Thursday to secure a large-scale raid on Joseph’s Tomb, enabling Jewish morning prayers at the site for the first time since 2000. The operation involved members of Israel’s parliament, far-right officials, and settler leaders, all escorted by heavily armed troops.
Video footage from eastern neighborhoods, including Amman Street, showed soldiers expelling journalists and forcing residents from their homes. Nearby buildings were converted into temporary military posts, with snipers deployed on rooftops, while medical teams were barred from the area. Dozens of Israelis were filmed performing religious rituals inside the compound under military protection.
Israeli authorities last month approved daylight prayers at the site, located near areas nominally under Palestinian Authority control. Palestinians view the raids as efforts to expand Israeli control under religious pretexts, amid rising settler incursions and displacement across the West Bank, according to the United Nations.
Previously, the UOJ reported that an American citizen was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
