NABLUS, Palestinian Territories: Around 1,500 Israeli Jews prayed at a contested tomb in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday morning, and a settler leader hailed an “important step” toward establishing Israeli sovereignty over the site.
Jews believe Joseph’s Tomb in the north of the Palestinian territory is the burial site of the Biblical patriarch Joseph. Muslims consider it the burial place of a local religious figure.
The entry of Jewish pilgrims often sparks clashes with Palestinians, who claim the visits are a provocation.
Thursday’s prayer was exceptional as worshippers performed the Jewish morning service known as the Shacharit, which is celebrated after sunrise.
For a quarter of a decade, Israeli authorities have only allowed Jews to come and pray at the site at night.
