About 300 people,accompanied and protected by the Israel Defense Forces,visited the grave of "Otniel,son of Kenaz" the firstjudgeof the people of Israelin the days of Joshua, in Hevron. The tombis located ina cavelocatedin the western partof the city, which has been under thecomplete controlofthe Palestinian Authority (AreaA)since 1996, generally with noaccesstoallJews.
The pilgrimage coincided with the Shovevim period, the first six weeks of reading from the book of Exodus, when many Jews visit the graves of the righteous. Rabbi ChaimReicherchairman of the"Yesod Olam " (Foundation of the World) association, whoorganized the pilgrimage,said,"I hopethe entry this morningwillsignalthe free opening of the placefor Jewish prayer,at leastonce a week, as it waspreviously."