Palestinians Burn Joseph’s Tomb in West Bank

By R. Brownell

Palestinians Attack West Bank Site Believed to be Joseph’s Tomb

Startling news from the USA Today regarding a Palestinian riot that occurred before what is known as “Rage Day”:

Palestinians late Thursday set fire to a religious site in the West Bank revered by some Jews as the tomb of biblical patriarch Joseph.

In a separate incident on Friday, a Palestinian impersonating a journalist stabbed an Israeli solider.

The attacks came as the militant group Hamas called for a “day of rage” against Israel to begin following afternoon prayers.

Palestinian security forces extinguished the blaze early Friday at Joseph’s Tomb, a small stone structure in the West Bank city of Nablus.

The tomb has become a popular prayer site in recent years among some religious Jews.

Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the Israel’s Defense Forces, said the “burning and desecration of Joseph’s Tomb (was) a blatant violation and contradiction of the basic value of freedom of worship.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack and called for an investigation.

The riot is only part of a series of attacks and killings that have been on the rise in the past several weeks.