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Illegal settlers and occupation forces dance in Joseph's Tomb

Illegal settlers and soldiers stormed the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, danced and held prayers at Joseph's Tomb

May 17, 2023 at 12:20 pm

Six Palestinians were injured this morning when Israeli occupation forces attacked them with gunfire during a raid at the site of Joseph’s Tomb, based in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus.

Ahmad Jibril, the head of the Palestinian Red Crescent, told Wafa news agency, that a Palestinian was shot with a live bullet in the back and taken to the hospital, while five other victims who were hit with rubber bullets are being treated locally.

He added that another Palestinian man was severely injured after a gas bomb hit him in the hand, while a woman suffered a head injury following a sound bomb attack. Both victims were rushed to hospital.

Ahmad noted that 80 Palestinians, including two pregnant women, suffered from suffocation and were forced from their homes after inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli occupation forces during the raid.

Meanwhile,illegal settlers raided Joseph’s Tomb under the protection of occupation forces  and performed Talmudic rituals as well as to sing and dance.

All settlements and settlers are illegal under international law. Nevertheless, according to official data, around 650,000 extremist Israeli Jewish settlers live in more than 130 settlements that have been built on Palestinian land since the occupation of the West Bank started in 1967.

Joseph’s Tomb is believed by Palestinians to be the burial site for local religious figure, Sheikh Yousef Dweikat, while Israelis believe it belongs to the Biblical Patriarch Joseph.

There has been an increase in the number of Israeli raids across the occupied West Bank over the past few months, particularly in Nablus and Jenin, coupled with violence carried out by illegal settlers who have, at times, even turned against Israeli forces.

READ: Israel raids West Bank city to tear down poster of Palestinian martyr