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Palestinians arrested as 6,000 settlers storm Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus

May 11, 2018 at 10:51 am

The gate of Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, West Bank [Issam Rimawi/Apaimages]

Two Palestinians were arrested this morning after they tried to confront Jewish settlers who were storming an Islamic site in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus.

Some 6,000 Jewish settlers, including ministers, military officials and members of the Knesset stormed the Tomb of Yusuf (Joseph’s Tomb), east of Nablus, in the early hours of this morning.

Large numbers of Israeli occupation forces raided the area and closed it off to Palestinians ahead of the arrival of the settlers.

Buses carrying the settlers then arrived in the area accompanied by military vehicles. The settlers were marking the anniversary of the prophet’s death.

Following the incursion, violent clashes broke out between Israeli soldiers and a group of Palestinian youths who tried to confront the Jewish incursion by closing the roads leading to the Islamic site. Israeli occupation forces responded by firing rubber coated steel bullets and gas and sound bombs.

Read: Israel settlers call for ‘death to Arabs’ on violent spree

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that a Palestinian youth was wounded with live bullets and seven others with rubber coated steel bullets, as well as 30 cases of tear gas inhalation as a result.

Hebrew new site 0404 reported that amongst the intruders was Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel, Member of the Knesset Moti Yogev, and the Chairman of the settlements in the northern West Bank, in addition to military leaders.

Settlers regularly storm the Islamic site under military protection, stopping Muslims from accessing the area and stifling their movement.