The visit to Joseph's tombמועצה אזורית שומרון

Despite threats from terror organizations to harm any Jew that enters Joseph's Tomb in Shechem (Nablus), a small group of worshipers was allowed to enter the holy site early on Thursday morning, in honor of the Sukkot holiday (Festival of Tabernacles).

The worshipers entered with the approval of the Defense Minister, after permission had been revoked earlier in the week due to the security situation.

Among the military officers and public figures that visited the site were Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, his deputy Davidi Ben-Zion, Itamar Rabbi Daniel Luntzer, Judea and Samaria Division Commander Brigadier General Avi Bluth, and Samaria Brigade Commander Lieutenant Colonel Shimon Sisu.

During the event, Dagan stated: "We are visiting Joseph's Tomb during Sukkot, on the symbolic date during which it is customary to 'host' the biblical Joseph. During the time of [former Prime Minister] Ehud Barak, the Israeli government ran away from Joseph's Tomb and the holy site was desecrated, burned, and destroyed time after time. We pulled out of the communities in northern Samaria, and we got a wave of terrorism in Tel Aviv, Elad, Bnei Brak, Shavei Shomron, and Jerusalem. Because whoever runs away from terrorism, terrorism chases him."

The Defense Minister and Chief of Staff did a good thing when they made the clear decision not to surrender to the brazen threats by terror organizations, and to allow entry to the tomb. Terrorism's goal is that Israel will be afraid of it and the only way to beat it is to return fire, to move from defense to offense."

The Samaria Regional Council head repeated his call for a large-scale military operation to fight the uptick in terror attacks in the area.