Twenty-three Breslov Chassidim were taken into custody after visiting Kever Yosef in PA (Palestinian Authority) occupied Shechem without prior authorization and coordination with the IDF as required. They visited the holy site to be mispallel and did not arrange in advance as expected to do, placing themselves and IDF soldiers in harm’s way and at significant risk.
IDF officials handed them over to police for violating the law preventing Israelis from entering an ‘Area A’, under exclusive PA control, without authorization.
It is pointed out that while this is the policy today, in accordance with the Oslo Agreements, Israelis are supposed to have full and safe access to the holy sites but Israel prefers to turn a blind eye and enforce the requirement to arrange for an IDF escort before visiting Kever Yosef as has become customary.
Kever Yosef was under IDF control following Oslo but after a major attack that claimed the life of border policeman Madhat Yousef, Israel withdrew under orders of then Prime Minister Ehud Barak in 2000, who handed over the holy site to PA control.
The 19-year-old Druse border policeman bled to death slowly of his gunshot wounds as a paralyzed PM Barak IDF Chief Shaul Mofaz feared to send in reinforcements to extricate them in time to save him. As a result, he died of the bullet wound as the holy site was surrounded by blood-thirsty PA residents and police. Eventually, they were permitted to exit after Barak announced he was giving the complex over to PA control.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Its really disgusting how those from groups who generally refuse to enlist in the security forces are somehow willing to engage in irresponsible behavior that puts others at risk, Its also a mystery as to why the authorities let them off with small fines rather than making them serve prison time which might serve as a deterrent to others from engaging in the same irresponsible behavior.
To gadolhador. The Breslavers that visit Kever Yosef love Eretz Yisrael and the soldiers. They are not the problem. Rather it is the Defence Monistry that is placing ridiculous restrictions on the Jews when Arab are allowed to stream to the alShiksa mosque in their hundreds of thousands.