A couple, residents of Samaria, have appealed to Central Command Chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth and Defense Minister Israel Katz, requesting permission to hold their son's upcoming brit milah (circumcision ceremony) this Thursday at Joseph's Tomb in Shechem (Nablus).
The request stems from the family's personal connection to the biblical figure of Joseph and is based on provisions in the Oslo Accords that allow for regular Jewish access to the site.
"This Thursday we intend to enter our son into the covenant of Abraham," the couple wrote. "Joseph's Tomb is deeply significant to us. We are strongly connected to the site, and Jewish presence there is both a moral obligation and historical justice."
They cited Israel’s commitment under the Oslo Accords to ensure Jewish access to the site. The official translated text of the agreement states that "there will be a Jewish security unit, whose duties shall be to ensure free, unrestricted, and safe access to the relevant Jewish holy site" and that "the present situation and existing religious practices will be preserved."
A copy of the agreement appendix, submitted to both the IDF commander and the defense minister, names two agreed-upon Jewish holy sites: "In accordance with Section E of this appendix, the Jewish holy places are as follows: Joseph’s Tomb (Shechem), and the Shalom Al Israel Synagogue (Jericho)."
"Accordingly," the parents concluded, "we ask that you approve holding the brit milah at the site." The family added, "Restoring a regular Jewish presence to Joseph's Tomb is a critical political and security need, in addition to its moral importance and as a remedy to the injustice of abandoning the site."
The request comes amid an IDF Central Command commitment to present practical steps within three weeks for restoring permanent Jewish presence at the site. While this request is for a one-time event, broader efforts are underway to reestablish ongoing Jewish access.
The commitment was made during a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Subcommittee meeting on Judea and Samaria affairs three weeks ago, attended by Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan, who is working alongside MK Zvi Sukkot on the issue, as well as Deputy Head of the Civil Administration Col. Lahat Shemesh and other defense officials.