Significant plans have been put into place to restore Israeli sovereignty over the tomb of Joseph, one of the most important religious sites in Judaism.
Significant plans have been put into place to restore Israeli sovereignty over the tomb of Joseph, one of the most important religious sites in Judaism.
Since the Oslo Accords, Arabs attacked and murdered Jewish pilgrims visiting the site so regularly that in 2000, after a soldier was killed in a particularly brutal attack, the IDF withdrew permanent presence and visits became tightly controlled, occurring only monthly at most, and at night.
Return to Yosef – Jews United is a Knesset lobby comprised of politicians, activists, rabbis, and senior security officials. Last week they held a conference that outlined practical plans to overcome the current access issues.
Lobby Chairman Nachi Weiss stated: “Lacking a foothold at Joseph’s Tomb does not ease the security situation, it does the opposite. Terror intensifies in Shechem in the absence of a Jewish presence, and the nations of the world see us abandoning one of the most historically rooted Jewish heritage sites.
The lobby also emphasized that Israel cannot afford to leave Joseph’s Tomb as “the backyard of the country,” and that returning to the site represents the fulfillment of a dream, strong leadership, and loyalty to Jewish identity.
Israel must act now and apply sovereignty to this holy site; for the sake of Israel’s future, for the security of the country and to fully reclaim our historic right to Joseph’s Tomb.