Senior IDF officers, the head of the Shomron Regional Council, Avraham Fried and Mordechai Ben David intended to visit Kever Yosef in PA (Palestinian Authority) occupied Shechem on Monday night the eve of 5 Sivan, but they did not make it. The terror attack at Tapuach Junction resulted in a change in plans.

Fried arrived in Eretz Yisrael for a performance in Elon Moreh in a number of days. Both singers planned to sing at the tziyun but they never made it. Shomron Council head Gershon Mesika was to accompany them as were Housing Minister Uri Ariel and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz, with the latter bringing a number of senior officers with him.

Unfortunately the special forum at the holy site did happen as planned due to the shooting attack earlier in which an armed Arab terrorist fired at border police. They returned fire and killed the lone terrorist. One soldier was wounded in a leg, B”H not more than a light injury.

The chief of staff was already at the tziyun when he heard of the shooting attack, permitting him to respond to the scene in a matter of minutes. Commanders feared that the area would ‘heat up’ due to the killing of the terrorist and therefore the order was given to instruct Fried and MBD to turn back, informing them and the others they would not be permitted to travel to the tziyun as planned.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)