Israel Matzav

Breaking: 'Palestinian police' attack Jewish worshippers at Joseph's tomb

'Palestinian' terrorists policemen (from the so-called Dayton forces) have attacked Jewish worshipers at Joseph's tomb in Shchem (Nablus). One Jew has been killed and five have been wounded. The 'Palestinians' are claiming it was an 'accident' resulting from a visit to the tomb that was not coordinated with the authorities, and - according to Israel Radio - that the Jews (who were in their cars) threw stones at a 'Palestinian' checkpoint.

According to initial investigations, the Israelis were traveling in the area without coordinating their visit to Joseph's Tomb and were reportedly shot at by Palestinian police.

Three vehicles with 15 Breslev hasidim entered the city in the early morning hours for prayer services. On the way back, around 6 a.m. they encountered a surprise checkpoint and were met with a hail of gunfire from a Palestinian jeep. The fire continued even after the vehicle turned back in an attempt to escape. Two of the three vehicles were hit.

The worshipers were able to evacuate themselves to the IDF Samaria district brigade base which was near by and received initial emergency medical care.

The death of a 30-year-old male was pronounced at the scene. A 20-year-old man was injured in serious condition, suffering of an abdominal wound. He was airlifted to Bellinson Hospital in Petah Tikva where he underwent surgery. A 17-year-old youth was evacuated by a Magen David Adom Yarkon crew in moderate condition, suffering a wound to his shoulder. Another youth was injured and evacuated for medical treatment after he was questioned by authorities. Another two were in light condition and were treated on scene.

In February, Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein (Likud) called on Defense Minister Ehud Barak to increase access to Joseph’s Tomb, located on the southern edge of Nablus, which has a waiting list of thousands of Jews wanting to make the pilgrimage.

At present, access to the tomb is limited to one nightly trip a month.

Israel Radio reports one person seriously wounded, two moderately wounded and two lightly wounded.

The Muqata has the story slightly differently and reports that the person who was killed - whose name has not yet been released - is a nephew of cabinet minister Limor Livnat (Likud):

Originally 3 carloads of Jews arrived at the tomb to pray, but PA policemen waiting there shot in the air and 2 of the cars immediately left. The third carload of Breslevers stayed to pray.

After the prayers, when the Hassidim were driving out, the Palestinian policemen (trained and funded by the US) drove their PA police jeep up to the car with the Hassidim in it and opened fire.

One Israeli, Ben-Yosef Livnat (age 30) was killed and 3 more injured. Livnat is the nephew of Minister Limor Livnat.

Nablus/Shechem Governor Jibril al-Bakri admits his policemen did the attack, calling it a "security incident" not a "terrorist attack". He also confirms the witness report that they first shot in the air when they saw the Breslev Hassidim who arrive there every week.

Here's what the Oslo accords say about Joseph's tomb, which is supposed to be under Israeli control with free access to Jews.

Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
Annex I:
Protocol Concerning Redeployment and Security Arrangements
2. Area A

a. The Council will, upon completion of the redeployment of Israeli military forces it each district, as set out in Appendix 1 to this Annex, assume the powers and responsibilities for internal security and public order in Area A in that district.

b. Jewish Holy Sites

(1) The following provisions will apply with respect to the security arrangements in Jewish holy sites in Area A which are listed in Appendix 4 to this Annex:

(a) While the protection of these sites, as well as of persons visiting them, will be under the responsibility of the Palestinian Police, a JMU shall function in the vicinity of, and on the access routes to, each such site, as directed by the relevant DCO.

(b) The functions of each such JMU shall be as follows:

(i) to ensure free, unimpeded and secure access to the relevant Jewish holy site; and

(ii) to ensure the peaceful use of such site, to prevent any potential instances of disorder and to respond to any incident.

(c) Given the Jewish religious nature of such sites, Israeli plainclothes guards may be present inside such sites.

(2) The present situation and the existing religious practices shall be preserved.
Appendix 4
Jewish Holy Sites

Pursuant to Article V of this Annex the Jewish Holy Sites are as follows:

1. Joseph's Tomb (Nablus)

JMU is "Joint Mobile Units." Here's the provision that deals with them:

5. Joint Mobile Units

a. The mission of the Joint Mobile Units (hereinafter "JMUs") is to provide rapid response in the event of incidents and emergency situations, in order to ensure free, unimpeded and secure movement along their designated routes of activity, or in their areas of activity. b. The composition of the JMUs will be similar to that of the Joint Patrols.

c. In areas under Israeli security responsibility, the Israeli vehicle will be the leading vehicle. In areas under Palestinian security responsibility, the Palestinian vehicle will be the leading vehicle. The Joint Mobile Units will be under the direction of the relevant DCO.

d. The functions of the JMUs are:

(1) to monitor movement along their designated routes of activity from their stationary locations, from where they may patrol on agreed roads as directed by the relevant DCO, in which case their duties will be the same as those of the Joint Patrols;

(2) in the event of an incident involving both Israelis and Palestinians, to reach the site of the incident in order to provide assistance and to investigate; and

(3) any other function determined by the relevant DCO.

As I am writing this, Israel Radio is interviewing one of the Breslev Hasidim who says that the shooting started while they were inside the gravesite. The 'Palestinians' also stoned the cars according to the person being interviewed by Israel Radio. The man who was killed took a bullet in the head that exited through his mouth.

Arutz Sheva adds (Hat Tip: My Right Word):

The PA security forces continued to fire at the cars as they fled.

The IDF hurriedly issued a statement that the trip to Kever Yosef was not coordinated with Israeli security forces.

Kever Yosef is a Jewish holy site that was supposed to be under Israeli control and open to worshippers as stated in previous agreements. However, the government has surrendered the area to Palestinian Authority control, and local Arabs have desecrated it several times.

The Breslov group was known to Palestinian Authority authorities as people who frequently prayed at Kever Yosef without any other intentions, according to Gershon Mesika, chairman of the Shomron (Samaria) Regional Council. He called the shooting attack a “massacre at close range.

National Union Knesset Member Dr. Michael Ben-Ari indirectly blamed the American government for having “trained and armed the enemy army that is called the ‘Palestinian Authority police’ [also known as the Dayton forces after US General Keith Dayton. CiJ] and is directly responsible for the murder at Kever Yosef.”

He called on the Israeli government to restore the Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva to Kever Yosef and to confiscate weapons from the Palestinian Authority.

Of course, it will be claimed that the Jews had no right to be there, and therefore it was their fault. But if you read the agreements as I posted them above, you can plainly see that's a lie.

The picture at the top of this post is of Joseph's tomb in October 2000. As you may recall, at the beginning of the Oslo war, a 'Palestinian' mob attacked Joseph's tomb and destroyed it. An IDF soldier, Mahdat Yusuf, bled to death in that attack. The current defenseless defense minister, Ehud Barak, was the Prime Minister (and Defense Minister) then and refused to let the IDF go in to rescue the soldiers who were trapped there. Current IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz was the Judea and Samaria commander at the time. The tomb was closed for nearly ten years after that incident, and was officially reopened a few months ago. The Bresolov Hasidim have tried bribing the 'Palestinian Authority in the past for additional access to the tomb. I guess that didn't work out too well.

Could this be the start of the Dayton forces' war on Israel?

Labels: Benny Gantz, Breslov, Dayton forces, Ehud Barak, IDF Judea and Samaria Division, intifadeh, Joseph's tomb, Madhat Yusuf, Palestinian terrorism

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:16 AM