(JTA) — Israeli soldiers shot two Palestinian men during a riot near Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus, Palestinian security officials said.
The riot was directed at Israeli pilgrims who arrived at the holy site on Thursday night to pray. Approximately 1,500 worshipers came to the tomb in busses, which Palestinian rioters pelted with stones and one firebomb, according to the religious news site hageula.com.
No Israeli was wounded in the riots but soldiers guarding the pilgrims engaged the rioters. Iyad Muin Muhammad Kalbuna, 23, was shot in his left foot while Muhammad Ghassan Hammad Hashash, 24, from Balata refugee camp, was shot in the thigh, the Ma’an news agency reported. They were both taken to Rafidia hospital for treatment.
Under the 1993 Oslo Accords, the site was to remain under Israeli control. The Israel Defense Forces evacuated the premises in October 2000 during the Second Intifada, and it was burnt down by Palestinians.
Jewish worshipers make monthly nocturnal pilgrimages to the site, which has been renovated and restored.
