The government has still said and done nothing about the desecration of Joseph's Tomb in Shechem - and the army is not happy about it. Senior IDF officials say that the government's apathy is costing Israel a price in both the religious and security spheres. Lt.-Col. Rabbi Avi Ronsky told Arutz-7 that he has first-hand knowledge of the contacts between the army and the government in this area, and "the decision to do something about it is solely in the hands of the Prime Minister." Lt.-Col. Ronsky says that the PA interprets Israel's inaction at Joseph's Tomb as a weakness of the
Israeli military. "Many officers feel that the damage must be repaired, and that we must ensure permanent Israeli presence at the site - if not of civilians, then at least of IDF forces. There should be organized buses going there a few times a week, which will not only discourage individuals from making dangerous night-time forays to the site, but will also give the IDF reason to have a permanent presence there."
IDF officers yesterday showed Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz photos of the damage at Joseph's Tomb, which occurred between one and three weeks ago. The Cabinet discussed the matter last week, but took no decisions.
On the other hand, the Simon Weisenthal Center has submitted an official protest to the United Nations World Heritage Committee regarding the PA Arabs' desecration of Joseph's Tomb. Shimon Samuels, head of the Center's Paris branch, said that in his recent visit to the site, he saw "much destruction, garbage, and pieces of wrecked cars."
Regarding an even holier site, the Yesha Rabbis Council calls upon the government to adopt the recommendation of Jerusalem Police Chief Mickey Levy, and allow Jews to visit the Temple Mount. Levy said on Friday that the most sacred site in Judaism, which has been closed to Jews since the beginning of the Oslo War in Sept. 2000, should be re-opened following the war in Iraq.
Israeli military. "Many officers feel that the damage must be repaired, and that we must ensure permanent Israeli presence at the site - if not of civilians, then at least of IDF forces. There should be organized buses going there a few times a week, which will not only discourage individuals from making dangerous night-time forays to the site, but will also give the IDF reason to have a permanent presence there."
IDF officers yesterday showed Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz photos of the damage at Joseph's Tomb, which occurred between one and three weeks ago. The Cabinet discussed the matter last week, but took no decisions.
On the other hand, the Simon Weisenthal Center has submitted an official protest to the United Nations World Heritage Committee regarding the PA Arabs' desecration of Joseph's Tomb. Shimon Samuels, head of the Center's Paris branch, said that in his recent visit to the site, he saw "much destruction, garbage, and pieces of wrecked cars."
Regarding an even holier site, the Yesha Rabbis Council calls upon the government to adopt the recommendation of Jerusalem Police Chief Mickey Levy, and allow Jews to visit the Temple Mount. Levy said on Friday that the most sacred site in Judaism, which has been closed to Jews since the beginning of the Oslo War in Sept. 2000, should be re-opened following the war in Iraq.