Israeli worshipers throw rocks at Palestinian village
No injuries but damage caused to cars and buildings; IDF intervenes to stop attack outside traditional tomb of Biblical high priest Itamar in northern West Bank
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Several dozen Israeli worshipers who visited an ancient tomb in the northern West Bank village of Awarta early Sunday hurled stones at Palestinian homes and vehicles nearby, causing property damage, the IDF said.
Security forces intervened and stopped the attack. No people were hurt.
The site, known as the tomb of Itamar and the 70 elders, has been believed by some Jews — since the Middle Ages — to be the final resting place of Itamar, son of Aaron, the Biblical progenitor of the Jewish priestly line.
Hundreds of Israelis, guarded by IDF troops, were said to have taken part in the prayers at the tomb.
A field worker for the Rabbis for Human Rights NGO said five cars were damaged due to the rock-throwing. He added that graves at the Palestinian cemetery adjacent to the Jewish holy site were also desecrated by the Israeli worshipers.
בחסות כניסת מתנחלים לתפילה בכפר הפלסטיני עוורתא קיצוניים ישראלים השחיתו רכבים של מקומיים וכנראה ביזו קברים
פלסטינים מדווחים כי מתנחלים קיצוניים הסבו נזק ל-5 רכבים בכפר עורתא. הונדליסטים ניצלו את כניסת 500 היהודים לתפילה בכפר באישור צה'ל שליווה את המתפללים. pic.twitter.com/0Wslicjhwu
— קול רבני לזכויות אדם (@RHRIS) January 21, 2018
Footage shared widely on Palestinian social media accounts shows the worshipers walking aimlessly on top of tombstones in the village’s burial ground.
Separately, IDF troops seized a number of firearms during a raid in the central West Bank town of Yatta early Sunday and arrested 16 Palestinians suspected of involvement in terror-related activity in various other raids, the army said.
The Times of Israel Community.