A site known as Joseph’s tomb in Nablus was set on fire Friday by a mob of over 100 rioting Palestinians.
Whether the Jewish biblical patriarch Joseph, and his sons Ephraim and Manasseh, are indeed buried in the tomb remains unclear to this day. However, the site has become an important holy site for the Jewish community, The Inquisitr reported.
The tomb appeared to be unharmed, but the fire sets another downturn in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after weeks of renewed violence, according to CNN.
Another incident took place Friday in which an Israeli soldier was stabbed in Kiryat Arba by a man who pretended to be a news photographer while wearing a t-shirt with the word “press” written on it. The assailant was shot on site, according to USA Today.
“[The] Burning and desecration of Joseph's Tomb was a blatant violation and contradiction of the basic value of freedom of worship," said Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israel's Defense Forces, The Inquisitr noted.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack and called for an investigation.
The tomb is located in Palestinian territory, but since 2007, Jewish pilgrims have been granted access to the tomb one night a month, except during periods of heightened tension, AFP reported.
