Destroyed gravestone at traditional burial site for biblical patriarch Joseph.
Posted on 02/25/2003 1:06:38 AM PST by JohnHuang2
The sacred Jewish site regarded as the grave of the biblical patriarch Joseph has been turned into a pile of rubble by Arab vandals, according to Israeli officials.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon confirmed Sunday that the large stone marking the grave was destroyed some time during the past two weeks, the Israeli News Network said.
Destroyed gravestone at traditional burial site for biblical patriarch Joseph. |
Minister Natan Sharansky wants the foreign ministry to publicize photos of the desecrated site, which is in the Palestinian Authority-controlled town of Nablus, the biblical Shechem.
"If we would have razed the gravesite of one of the founders of Islam, billions of Muslims would have taken to the streets," Sharansky said. "It's inconceivable that the world should not know about this travesty."
The Oslo Accords put the site under Israeli jurisdiction, but on Oct. 7, 2000, then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak ordered a unilateral retreat, based on a Palestinian agreement to protect the site.
But within hours, smoke was seen billowing from the tomb as a crowd burned Jewish prayer books and other articles. With pickaxes and hammers they began to tear apart the stone building. Two days later the dome of the tomb had been painted green and bulldozers were clearing the area.
Israeli authority was restored to the site during last April's Operation Defensive Shield, but Israeli worshippers are not allowed to visit and it is not regularly guarded.
 Building at Joseph's Tomb site after Palestinian Authority took control. |
Members of the Hassidic Breslover sect have been arrested in attempts to reach the tomb.
The Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva, a Jewish center for learning that was closed down at the time of the initial Israeli retreat, issued a press release last week demanding the "immediate safeguarding" of the tomb. The center also asked that it be allowed to reopen its doors on the site.
Yehuda Liebman, the head of Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva, told the Jerusalem Post that while the attacks have become more severe, the grave had always been left intact.
Israeli government spokesman Ra'anan Gissin said that the government will find a way to protect the site, but the Israel Defense Forces said it has no plans to secure or guard it because such action is too costly.
Gissin said the desecration "shows the moral bankruptcy of the Palestinian Authority and points to the critical need for a change in leadership."
Israeli archeologists say they have convincing documentation of the site's authenticity, dating to biblical times. The book of Joshua says, according to the New International Version, "Joseph's bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph's descendants."
Gissin said the desecration "shows the moral bankruptcy of the Palestinian Authority and points to the critical need for a change in leadership."
Israeli archeologists say they have convincing documentation of the site's authenticity, dating to biblical times. The book of Joshua says, according to the New International Version, "Joseph's bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph's descendants."
Looks like there is enough moral bankrupcy to go around. How can it possibly be too costly for the IDF to defend Joseph's Tomb? These are the bones brought out of Egypt during the Exodus, forcryinoutloud! This site should be revered by all people, and should be defended by the IDF to the last.
If anybody ever had any doubt that the Pallies mean to exterminate the Jews, let the treatment of Joseph's Tomb settle the issue once and for all. Maybe that is why the IDF is letting them have their fun with the bones of Joseph.
bump
So can anyone explain to me why Muslims consider the Al Aqsa mosque the "third holiest" site in Islam? They built the "Dome of the Rock" on the top of Solomon's Temple, the holiest site in Judaism, because it is supposedly the place where Mohammad ascended into heaven. But Muhammad died in the city of Medina on the Arabian peninsula!
Silly Jews and infidels.. Only islamics can have nice toys now. Doesn't anyone get it? We can't have any holy sites or important landmarks anymore, islam runs the world basically.
Sad part is, we let them get away with it.
They make it up as they need to obstruct westerners.
This is not the first report of Moslems desicrating historic sites.
It is very difficult to see thie "islamic faith" as anything but a cult for tribalism and kook holymen when this type of disrespect and desicration occurs.
Strange how you never see christian acts of a similar magnatute. The MSM and Fox seem to be asleep or intetionally ignoring these matters.
This is no different than the pictures of palistinians dancing in the streets on 9/11.
How many happen and do not go reported?
How many christian graveyards have been dug up with bulldozers? It is the way of islam.
Surely the Muslims are going to discover that Shechem is the Fourth Holiest Site in Islam...
that would be the former site of the WTC. Future home of the broken glass tower. (ugh)
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