Hundreds of Jews visited the site of Joseph's Tomb in Shechem (Nablus) on Sunday night, under the protection of the IDF. The holy place was the site of a yeshiva between 1980 and 2001, and was protected as such by the Oslo Accords. However, when the Oslo War began, Palestinian Authority terrorists conquered it, destroyed the yeshiva, and defaced and vandalized the tomb.
In recent years, some Jews have made clandestine visits to the holy site, while occasionally official mass visits are organized and protected by Israel's security forces.
Joseph's Tomb is located in the middle of a residential section of Shechem. Just 30 years ago, however, before the city began to expand after it was liberated by Israel Six Day War, it was surrounded by empty fields. Over the years, Shechem has also developed into a hotbed of terrorist activity
In other Yesha news, the Hazon David synagogue in Kiryat Arba was destroyed by IDF and Border Guard forces late Saturday night - and was rebuilt just several hours later by Jewish residents. Supporters note that this was the 31st time that the synagogue has been destroyed and then rebuilt. It was first built in memory of two Jews who were murdered near the site by Palestinian terrorists: David Cohen of Beitar Illit and Yechezkel Mualem of Kiryat Arba, who were killed in two separate attacks on the same day in July 2001.