Despite the IDF\'s withdrawal from Shechem this morning, many Jews still demand that Israel retake and retain the Joseph\'s Tomb compound. A demonstration to this effect was held outside the Prime Minister\'s officer in Jerusalem this morning. The demonstrators called upon Prime Minister Sharon and the government to \"remove the national disgrace\" caused by the abandonment of the holy site to Palestinian fighters 18 months ago. Even the Oslo Agreement stipulates that the site is to remain under Israeli control, at least until a permanent arrangement is negotiated.
The withdrawal from Shechem was in fact held up over the night by the presence of several dozen Jewish worshipers to the site. They managed to sneak in, as did several other groups in the course of the past two weeks, but some of them had trouble getting out: They called the Samaria-Judea District Police for help, but not before one of their number was assaulted and beaten up by Arabs. The army came, rescued the group, and promptly detained them. The Yesha Council, which organized a rally last night of hundreds of people near Shechem demanding that Joseph\'s Tomb remain Jewish, says that those who try to enter the site on their own \"are endangering themselves and IDF soldiers.\"
The withdrawal from Shechem was in fact held up over the night by the presence of several dozen Jewish worshipers to the site. They managed to sneak in, as did several other groups in the course of the past two weeks, but some of them had trouble getting out: They called the Samaria-Judea District Police for help, but not before one of their number was assaulted and beaten up by Arabs. The army came, rescued the group, and promptly detained them. The Yesha Council, which organized a rally last night of hundreds of people near Shechem demanding that Joseph\'s Tomb remain Jewish, says that those who try to enter the site on their own \"are endangering themselves and IDF soldiers.\"