The grave of Shmuel Hanavi (Samuel the Prophet) is just three kilometers away from the Jerusalem-area Arab towns of Biddu and Beit Surik, as well as from the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Ramot and Givat Ze'ev.
Three Israelis were killed on Tuesday when a Muslim terrorist from Beit Surik opened fire on a group of Border Police officers and guards near the back gate of Har Adar. The terrorist had a permit to work in the town.
Despite the site's proximity to Arab villages, there is not enough security. A single security guard is expected to ensure the safety of hundreds of Jewish visitors each day, while hundreds of Arabs come each day as well to pray at the site's mosque.
Most of the visitors do not undergo a security check, and one security guard is not enough to ensure the safety of every visitor, especially during a period with so many terror attacks.
In recent weeks, there were several incidents of Arabs throwing rocks at Jewish visitors to the site. In three of these, victims were taken to local hospitals. Every time Arabs throw rocks at Jewish visitors, the site closes to Jews while allowing the Arabs to continue visiting freely.
The gravesite, known as the "Nabi Samuel National Park," is under the jurisdiction of the Civil Administration, the Waqf, the Nature and Parks Authority, and the National Center for Development of the Holy Places.
Arutz Sheva spoke to the four bodies managing the site, demanding to know the reason for the security failures. The Civil Administration and the Nature and Parks Authority said "the security guard's job is to ensure order and to provide security."
"The guard at the site did his jobas expected and acted according to instructions from the site's management. If we see there is a need for additional security, security personnel increase their presence at the site."
"We are not connected to security," the National Center for Development of the Holy Places said. "That is the responsibility of the Nature and Parks Authority and the Civil Administration."
Photo by Yaakov Lederman/Flash90