In a rare and coordinated move, a majority of Security Cabinet ministers, government ministers, and most coalition Knesset members have signed a declaration demanding the immediate restoration of Jewish presence at Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem, exactly 25 years after Israel withdrew from the site.
The signatories described Joseph’s Tomb as a critical historical and national asset, stating that its abandonment to Palestinian control marked a turning point that contributed to the outbreak of the Second Intifada. Citing the Oslo Accords, they asserted that a permanent Jewish presence at the site is both permitted and mandated. “This is a historical stain that the State of Israel must rectify,” they concluded.
The call is backed by key Security Cabinet ministers, including Yariv Levin, Gila Gamliel, Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, Miri Regev, and Ze’ev Elkin. It comes in advance of a high-level session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Judea and Samaria, during which the IDF is scheduled to present a practical plan to reinstate a permanent Jewish presence at the tomb complex.
According to official records, the withdrawal from the site on October 7, 2000, was intended as a temporary evacuation. The ministers and MKs emphasize that under the Oslo Accords, Israel retains the right to ensure Jewish access to the site and to reestablish the yeshiva that previously operated there.
The renewed push has been led in recent months by Rabbi David Ben Natan, in memory of his son Shuval, who was killed in action. He was joined by Samaria governor Yossi Dagan and MK Zvi Succot (Religious Zionism), who spearheaded a petition signed by numerous local council leaders, settlement officials, and activists calling for a return to the site. In response, the IDF drafted an operational plan to reestablish a Jewish presence, which is now poised for presentation and political approval.
Yossi Dagan stated, “The people demand a historical correction. After 25 years of abandonment, we are closer than ever to restoring sovereignty to Joseph’s Tomb. This is a moment of truth, the Israeli government must fulfill its promise and implement the plan now. This is not only a right, it is a national duty.”
MK Zvi Succot added, “The absolute and significant alignment of all coalition members, and especially the government ministers, is true history. Tomorrow, the practical plan to restore the Jewish presence to Joseph’s Tomb will be presented, and I commit to doing all I can to see this correction realized with full cabinet and government backing.”