Thousands of Israeli worshippers visited Joseph's Tomb in Nablus last night, under the protection of IDF and Israel Police forces.
The worshippers, who arrived in several waves totaling more than 50 buses throughout the night, prayed for the return of the hostages and victory in the war.
Among the worshippers were bereaved families. Mahdi Yousef, brother of the fallen Druze Border Police officer Madhat Yousef who was killed in action at the tomb, spoke about the soldiers' feeling of abandonment and the current pain: "I stand here not only as a bereaved brother but as a voice demanding the return of Israeli sovereignty to Josef's Tomb," he said tearfully. "If we don't return here, for what did my brother fall? We cannot abandon this place where he fell."
Samaria governor Yossi Dagan called on the government to restore Israeli sovereignty to Joseph's Tomb and to renew the 'Od Yosef Chai' yeshiva at the Tomb: "The abandonment of this place is a symbol of disgrace. We cannot leave this place in the hands of our enemies."
Dagan added that "The withdrawal from Joseph's Tomb many years ago was an error that led to the next wave of terror, and we cannot abandon this place again."
Additionally, Rivka Libnat, the mother of Ben-Yosef Livnat who was murdered in a terror attack at Joseph's Tomb, emphasized the need to return and control the site: "We feel that IDF soldiers are being abandoned. It's a disgrace. The time to return to this place is now."
The prayer was also attended by Shimon, father of Major Benaya Rhein, who was killed in action in the Second Lebanon War.
MK Tzvi Succot (Religious Zionist Party) emphasized "We are at the symbol of Israel's abandonment, a stain that has not yet been erased. It's a huge disgrace that we still enter this place like thieves at night. We see Mahdi Youssef's cry. Along with governor Yossi Dagan we are leading the initiative here, and we will not rest until we succeed in restoring sovereignty to this place, erasing the disgrace, the stain, and the reward for terror that Israel has given to those cursed terrorists. Every day they pass here and see the tomb abandoned, they say that terror succeeds."
Rabbi Yehuda Leibman, one of the former staff of the 'Od Yosef Chai' yeshiva, called to retake the city around the tomb for Jews: "The time has come to rebuild the 'Od Yosef Chai' yeshiva, to restore Israeli sovereignty in broad daylight."
MK Yitzhak Kreuzer (Otzma Yehudit) emphasized Israel's commitment to sovereignty over Judea and Samaria: "Our sovereignty over the Land of Israel is not a matter for compromise. Joseph's Tomb is a symbol of that."