Israeli occupiers raid 'Joseph’s Tomb' in occupied West Bank under army protection

Israeli occupiers stormed “Joseph’s Tomb” east of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank early Wednesday under the protection of a large Israeli army force, local sources told Anadolu.

Dozens of occupiers arrived at the site, accompanied by Israeli troops, to perform religious rituals, the sources said.

Israeli forces deployed around the site and closed several roads in the area before beginning to withdraw at around 7.30 am local time (0430GMT), they added.

Meanwhile, the Nablus Education Directorate delayed the start of the school day until 8.30 am (0530GMT) because of the incursion and accompanying military measures.

“Joseph’s Tomb” is located on the eastern edge of Nablus, an area under Palestinian control, and is one of the most tense sites in the West Bank.

Since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967, Jews have claimed the site is a sacred religious shrine and believe the remains of the Prophet Joseph, son of Jacob, are buried there. Archaeologists dispute that claim, saying the site is only a few centuries old and is likely the tomb of a Muslim sheikh named Yusuf Dweikat.

Although the site is administratively under the Palestinian Authority, it is raided by occupiers under Israeli army protection almost weekly, often at night.

*Writing by Lina Altawell in Istanbul