Settlers storm Palestinian town under Israel army protection

Israeli forces raided the town of Kifl Haris in the Salfit district of the central occupied West Bank last night to provide protection for Israeli settlers visiting a site believed to be a Jewish shrine.

Eyewitness Yousif Yaqoub told Ma’an that he counted about 30 Israeli military vehicles storming the centre of the town to escort the settlers, with Israeli soldiers firing stun grenades.

Israeli forces then set up military checkpoints at the entrances to Kifl Haris and imposed a curfew, according to Yaqoub.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an that overnight, “Israeli forces escorted Jewish pilgrims to the tomb of Joshua,” saying that the visit took place “without incident”.

A visit by settlers to the site earlier this month that was not carried out in coordination with the Israeli army sparked clashes with locals youth, prompting Israeli army forces to raid Kifl Haris, when a number of Israeli settlers were reportedly detained and interrogated over “violating Israeli military orders that bans Israelis from entering Palestinian districts”.

Residents of Kifl Haris have been living a continuous tension due to Israeli settlers’ raids to allegedly visit Jewish religious sites.

A number of tombs exist in Kifl Haris, which Palestinians in the area believe to be the graves of Muslim prophet Dhul-Kifl, the Sufi saint Dhul-Nun, and another shrine built by 12-century Sultan Saladin.

However, some Jews believe the tombs belong to the biblical figures Joshua Caleb, and Nun.