Bus driver lightly hurt as gunmen open fire during uncoordinated visit to Nablus tomb

The driver of a bus who took a group to visit Joseph’s Tomb in the Palestinian city of Nablus overnight without prior coordination with the military was lightly injured when gunmen opened fire at his vehicle, Hebrew-language media reports.

According to reports, the driver dropped the group of 22 men at the tomb and his vehicle was attacked by Palestinian gunmen as he left the area.

The Israel Defense Forces then sent troops to the area to extract the pilgrims and the bus driver.

In a statement, the military says the men were transferred to the Israel Police for questioning.

The Kan public broadcaster reports the men were members of the ultra-Orthodox Shuvu Bonim cult led by convicted sex offender Rabbi Eliezer Berland.

Last week, three members of the sect were lightly injured when gunmen opened fire at them during an uncoordinated visit to the tomb.

In June, a number of members of the sect entered Nablus in an attempt to visit the tomb on an uncoordinated visit, leading the army to send a large number of forces into the area to retrieve them.

Before the war, busloads of Orthodox Jews visited Joseph’s Tomb under IDF protection on a nearly monthly basis, and the pilgrimages almost always sparked violent clashes with Palestinian locals.

The IDF bars Israeli citizens from entering Palestinian cities without prior authorization and protection, and some criticize the monthly incursions as an unnecessary provocation that additionally places Israeli soldiers at risk.

22 חסידי ברלנד נכנסו באוטובוס לקבר יוסף בשכם, לבדם וללא תיאום עם הצבא. נהג האוטובוס הוריד אותם במקום ובדרכו החוצה מהעיר, מחבלים ירו לעברו ופצעו אותו באורח קל. צה"ל נכנס לקבר יוסף והוציא את החסידים, שהועברו יחד עם הנהג לטיפול המשטרה@carmeldangor pic.twitter.com/Ay9kv6iXN9

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) December 18, 2024