Palestinians set fire to Joseph's Tomb
By MARGOT DUDKEVITCH
The IDF permitted hundreds of Jewish worshippers access to Joseph's Tomb in Nablus to pray at the shrine early Thursday.
Later the worshippers left in buses accompanied by IDF forces who guarded them throughout the visit.
Shortly after their departure a group of Palestinian youths arrived at the site and set fire to the shrine throwing burning tires inside the compound.
The local Palestinian fire brigade arrived and extinguished the flames.
It was the fourth time authorization was given to Jews to pray at the site since security forces were forced to leave the site in October 2000 as a Palestinian mob descended, ransacked and vandalized the holy site and prevented the evacuation of Border policeman Madhat Yusef who bled to death.
IDF officials said the approval was given to the worshippers because of the Succoth holiday. It was the largest group ever to be allowed to enter the area.
In the past three years, hundreds of Jews have snuck into the tomb to pray illegally despite a ban issued by the OC Central Command that forbids Israelis from entering areas under full Palestinian control.
In September, Palestinians shot at IDF paratroopers who had reached the site to evacuate a number of Jewish worshippers who arrived without permission to pray there.
Israeli security officials said the last time the army gave permission to a group of religious Jews was in July.
In the early morning hours the worshippers erected a Succa at the site and former Sephardic chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu led them in prayers.
Some photos:
Interior of Joseph's tomb before the first Palestinian attacks a few years ago
Interior of Tomb after FIRST Palestinian attacks...
