Sunday, April 24, 2011

Stunning

At this point, can we really be surprised by the attacks at Jewish tombs?

Palestinians set fire to Joseph's Tomb over the weekend in Israel.
Unrest rattled the West Bank city of Nablus Sunday following the shooting of Breslov Hassidim visiting the Palestinian-controlled Joseph's Tomb in the city.

Twenty-four year old Ben-Yosef Livnat, a father of four from Jerusalem – and Minister Limor Livnat's nephew – was killed, and five others were wounded.

Palestinian sources reported local Palestinian youths gathered around the Tomb's compound shortly after the incident and set it on fire.[...]

A Palestinian source said black smoke towered over the gravesite, adding the sight was "reminiscent of the days of the Second Indifada."
To say this is the least of it, it is not. There was another attack as 15 Chasidic Jews were walking outside of Joseph's Tomb, which resulted in the death of one and the injuries of others.

JTA:
The men were part of a group of 15 Breslov Hasidim who arrived early Sunday morning in three cars to worship at the site, which is holy to Jews and is located in West Bank territory under full Palestinian control. The worshippers did not coordinate their visit with the Israel Defense Forces.

A Palestinian security guard fired on one of the cars as it was leaving the site, saying the men's activities looked "suspicious." Worshippers in the other cars told Ynet that the Palestinian police officers shouted "Allahu Akbar" or God is great, as they shot at the vehicles leaving the site.

A joint IDF-Palestinian investigation is looking in to the incident.[...]

Rioting occurred in Nablus following the incident, according to reports, and the tomb also reportedly was set on fire by Palestinian youths. The tomb was recently renovated after being badly damaged and desecrated during the second Palestinian Intifada.

Minister Livnat said in a statement that her nephew had wanted to pray at the tomb in honor of the Passover holiday and said that he "was killed in cold blood in an abominable way."

The Israeli army coordinates monthly prayer visits to the tomb, believed to be the burial site of the Biblical patriarch Joseph and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Members of the Breslov sect frequently sneak in to the tomb to pray, without coordinating their visits, according to reports.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak strongly condemned the shooting.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak strongly condemned the murder of Ben Yosef Livnat and the injury of four others in the Nablus shooting attack early Sunday morning and said that no lack of security coordination can justify the opening of fire at innocent people.

Barak ordered the IDF to investigate the incident and demanded that the Palestinian Authority investigate the shooting swiftly and take all the necessary steps against the shooter.

One Israeli worshiper was killed and four were wounded in Nablus early Sunday morning after their vehicle was shot at by a Palestinian Authority policeman as the group was exiting the city from prayer services held at Joseph's Tomb. Magen David Adom said one person was in serious condition, one in moderate condition and two others in light condition.

Minister of Culture and Sports Limor Livnat (Likud) was "shocked at the murderous attack of her nephew Ben Yosef Livnat" who was killed in the attack.

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