Nablus: Clashes erupted late Wednesday between Palestinians and Israeli forces and illegal settlers who raided the Joseph’s Tomb in the eastern part of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that its medical teams treated a Palestinian woman who was injured by a stun grenade. Additionally, several others suffered asphyxiation due to Israeli teargas bombs.
According to Anadolu Agency, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa stated that the Israeli army raided several areas in eastern Nablus city to facilitate the entry of illegal Israeli settlers into the Joseph’s Tomb site. The tomb is a site of religious significance venerated by both Muslims and Jews, and has long been a flashpoint for clashes between Palestinians and illegal Israeli settlers. While Jews regard the site as the burial place of the biblical patriarch Joseph, Muslims contend that an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yussef Dawiqat, was buried there two centuries ago.
Since the onset of the Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, at least 935 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 7,000 injured in attacks by the Israeli army and illegal settlers across the occupied West Bank, as reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry. The situation remains tense, with ongoing violence and clashes in the region.
In a related development, in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s longstanding occupation of Palestinian territories illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The international community continues to closely monitor the situation amidst these ongoing tensions.