Take back Joseph's Tomb

This past weekend marked two years on the Hebrew calendar since a Palestinian mob seized control over Joseph's Tomb in Shechem (Nablus), ransacking the Jewish holy site and setting it ablaze.

Though a great deal has happened in the interim, it is difficult to forget the painful scenes of mayhem and destruction that were broadcast around the world at the time.

There was the smoke billowing from the tomb, as Jewish prayer books and other religious articles left behind by the retreating Israeli army were set alight by the crowd. And then there were the Palestinians with pickaxes and hammers, smashing the stone building which housed the site and tearing it apart, brick by brick, in a frenzy of hate and defilement.

Within two days, as an Associated Press dispatch (October 10, 2000) reported, "the dome of the tomb was painted green and bulldozers were seen clearing the surrounding area," as the Palestinians sought to transform the biblical Joseph's resting place into a Moslem holy site.

It was a shocking display, both of the Palestinians' lack of respect for Judaism and its sacred places, and of Yasser Arafat's unwillingness to comply with his commitments.

In the early hours of October 7, 2000, after days of relentless attacks by Palestinian policemen and Fatah terrorists, Israel withdrew the small contingent of soldiers who had been guarding the site. In exchange, the PA promised to protect it, in accordance with their obligation under the Oslo Accords. Within hours, Joseph's Tomb was reduced to a smoldering heap of rubble.

Israel's pullout from the site was a grave strategic error, marking the first time that the IDF had withdrawn under fire and surrendered territory to the Palestinians as a direct result of violence.

Coming barely a week after the start of the current intifada, the retreat from Joseph's Tomb only served to whet the PA's appetite still further, sending a dangerous signal to Arafat that in the face of unremitting attacks, Israel would capitulate. Who knows what inspiration and encouragement the Israeli withdrawal gave to the budding young terrorists of Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad? The pullback was also an affront to Jewish history and tradition, as Joseph's Tomb had long been a focus of Jewish pilgrimage and prayer.

THE LATE Dr. Zvi Ilan, one of Israel's foremost archeologists, described Joseph's Tomb as "one of the tombs whose location is known with the utmost degree of certainty and is based on continuous documentation since biblical times" ("Tombs of the Righteous in the Land of Israel", p. 365).

The Book of Joshua (24:32) states explicitly, "The bones of Joseph which the Children of Israel brought up from Egypt were buried in Shechem in the portion of the field that had been purchased by Jacob." Ancient rabbinic texts such as the Midrash mention the site, as did the early Church historian Eusebius of Caesarea, who visited it nearly 1,700 years ago. Arab geographers, medieval Jewish pilgrims, Samaritan historians and even 19th-century British cartographers all concur regarding the site and its location.

Prior to the Palestinian takeover in October 2000, the tomb's compound was host to a yeshiva, and it was visited by thousands of Jewish worshipers annually.

Indeed, in recent months, with the IDF again operating in Nablus, there have been a number of unauthorized attempts made by Jews to reach the site and pray there, often at immense personal risk. Whatever one thinks of the wisdom of such efforts, the fact is that they seem to have worked: this past Saturday night, for the first time in two years, the army officially permitted some 100 Jews to visit the tomb and hold services there.

While that is a step in the right direction, it is hardly enough. The time has come for Israel to take back Joseph's Tomb once and for all.

To leave the site in Palestinian hands would be to reward mob violence. After 24 months of suicide bombings, shootings, stonings and mortar attacks, it is essential that the "original sin" of ditching Joseph's Tomb be corrected forthwith. Such a step would send a clear and unequivocal message to the Palestinians that nothing absolutely nothing will be gained from their resort to carnage and bloodshed.

Last week, the cabinet wisely decided to include Rachel's Tomb, outside Bethlehem, within the boundaries of the security zone to be constructed around Jerusalem. There is no reason for Joseph, Rachel's beloved son, to be left behind either.

Twice in Jewish history, Joseph was forsaken by his brothers and handed over to foreigners. The first time was in the biblical story, when he was tossed into a pit and sold to traveling merchants. The second time was in October 2000, when his tomb was surrendered to a crazed horde of Palestinian rioters.

Now, with the IDF active in the territories, we have a chance to right that historic wrong. And right it we must, because Joseph should not be abandoned yet again.

The writer served as deputy director of communications & policy planning in the Prime Minister's Office from 1996 to 1999.

Uhhhhh ...? The nearest that I can understand what you are referring to would be "Joseph of Arimethea", the individual who donated his tomb for location of Christ's burial.

No, no. Judah's brother Joseph. Judah is the father of the Jewish people. Joseph is just an uncle of the Jewish people.

Legend has it that he (and possibly Mary Magdalene" traveled to Britain, also taking with him, purportedly, the Holy Grail, and founded the Church there.

I'm of the impression Mary Magdalene went to Languadoc, in southern France.

However, this tomb is reputed to be the one containing the old testiment Joseph, the Joseph of the Coat of Many Colours, the Joseph who was the advisor to the Pharoah when the Hebrews were attempting to migrate there.

Exactly. He is the father of America and Britain, not modern day Israel. Here's how:

Jacob Israel was on his deathbed prophesying to his 12 sons about who they would be in the latter days. Manasseh and Ephraim are Joseph's two sons. I'll forewarn you that Ephraim is Britain, and Manasseh is America. Watch what Jacob says:

Gen 48:8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who [are] these?

Gen 48:9 And Joseph said unto his father, They [are] my sons, whom God hath given me in this [place]. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.

Gen 48:10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, [so that] he could not see. And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.

Gen 48:11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

Gen 48:12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.

Gen 48:13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought [them] near unto him.

Gen 48:14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid [it] upon Ephraim's head, who [was] the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh [was] the firstborn.

Gen 48:15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

Gen 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.

Notice that Jacob said "let my name be on them". Manasseh and Ephraim inherited the bithright and Jacob's name, "Israel" over the rest of Joseph's brothers. So when you see the name "Israel" in latter-day bible prophesy, know that America and Britain are the primary reference.

Gen 48:17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.

Gen 48:18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this [is] the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

Gen 48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know [it], my son, I know [it]: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.

Here's where we see who is who. Ephraim became larger ("greater" means larger). The British Empire was definitely the greatest (largest) of of all time. Multitude of nations: Britain, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and many other colonies. Manasseh became a great single nation...America.

Gen 48:20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

Ephraim received the birthright over Manasseh. Indeed Britain preceded America chronologically.

Gen 48:21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

Gen 48:22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.

Jacob allowed Joseph an extra portion by allowing Joseph's sons to be their own tribes, thereby doubling Joseph's portion.

You correlate Britain with Ephriam and America with Manasseh. What happened to the rest of the tribes? Where did they go?

Britian and America received the birthrite and the name and so they are easy to find and identify because of their power and fame. The rest of the tribes are the various western European nations and communities like Sweden, Denmark (probably Dan...Danish), Switzerland maybe, etc. Genesis 49 goes through each tribes characteristics. If I lived over there and traveled a lot I may have an idea of who is who but I don't know. After the twelve tribes crossed the Caucusus Mountains, their former captors, the Assyrians followed after them and became the nations of Germany and her satellites. WW1 and WW2 was just a repeat of the wars of captivity fought between the Israelite and the Assyrian/Babylonian ~2500 years ago. We lost 2500 years ago, we won this time. Russia is Esau, Jacob/Israel's brother. The Arabs are Ishmael. I don't know what God had in mind when he kept Sarah barren and allowed the birth of Ishmael to join the family but I guess we'll find out. :^) Keep us honest maybe. Cain's descendents are the wanderers that like to work themselves into sweet situations, get their high seats where there is power, money, and worship. Then they cause trouble. They were the scribes and Pharasees that killed Jesus. I believe today they have infiltrated our media, universities, some of our big churches. Of course they've done the same in Europe. They are Mystery Babylon. Lies and murder are their game.

There's nothing new under the sun, the struggles you see today have been going on for thousands of years. The players are the same, just their names and locations change over time.

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