2 Israelis shot en route to Joseph’s Tomb, site desecrated again

Two Jewish men shot, wounded in the outskirts of Shechem (Nablus) near Joseph’s Tomb; Palestinian rioters vandalize the holy site for the second time in two days.

By World Israel News Staff

Two Jewish men were shot in Shechem (Nablus) early Monday morning en route to Joseph’s Tomb as the holy site was desecrated by local Arab rioters for the second time in two days.

Hebrew-language media reported that the two Israeli citizens, residents of B’nei Brak and Jerusalem, were shot as they drove through an unmanned checkpoint near the entrance to the city.

According to Ynet, the victims, who are members of the Breslover Hasidic sect, were likely shot by terrorists from the Balata refugee camp, which is close to the entrance to Joseph’s Tomb.

The pair managed to drive themselves to a nearby checkpoint staffed with IDF soldiers, who assisted them and ensured that they were transported to Rabin Medical Center in the central Israeli city of Petah Tikvah.

The perpetrators of the shooting attack were not apprehended.

Shortly after the two men were shot, scores of Arab youth broke into the resting place of the biblical figure, setting fires and vandalizing the holy site for the second time in as many days.

“We all pray for the healing of the wounded. Nothing justifies the brutal murders and terrorism of a Palestinian Authority seminary headed by terrorist Abu Mazen [PA President Mahmoud Abbas],” said Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan in a statement Monday morning.

“Only yesterday morning, [there was] ISIS-style barbaric destruction at the holy site of Joseph’s Tomb, and today, a cold-blooded shooting of Jews who came to pray.”

After several prominent right-wing figures demanded that the Israeli authorities assume responsibility for repairing the damage to the site, Nablus’ governor, veteran Fatah member Ibrahim Ramadan, said the Palestinian Authority would refuse to cede administrative duties over the site to Israel.

“Joseph’s Tomb is a holy place for Jews, and our responsibility as the Palestinian Authority is to renovate it as soon as possible after some Palestinian youth damaged part of it,” Ramadan was quoted as Ynet by saying.

“No external party will be allowed to intervene in its renovation. Nablus is a conservatory for the three religions [Islam, Christianty and Judaism] under the banner of tolerance and peace.”