Israel’s Smotrich leads settler raid into Joseph’s Tomb in the occupied West Bank

Israel’s Smotrich leads settler raid into Joseph’s Tomb in the occupied West Bank Hundreds of  Israeli  settlers, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, stormed Joseph’s Tomb in the  occupied  West Bank city of Nablus on Wednesday.  Under heavy military guard, Smotrich and the settlers entered the site in the early hours after Israeli troops raided parts of the city and sealed checkpoints to secure the visit. The far-right minister vowed to make the Israeli presence at the site permanent, despite it being located in the heart of a Palestinian city administered by the Palestinian Authority (PA). “Our presence here at Joseph’s Tomb, in broad daylight, is a clear statement: the people of Israel are returning home to all parts of their land,” Smotrich said during the visit, which included morning prayers. Read more: Israel’s Smotrich leads settler raid into Joseph’s Tomb in the occupied West Bank Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is surrounded by settlers at the end of the resettlement ceremony of Sa-Nur, south of Jenin, in the occupied West Bank on 19 April 2026 (Marco Longari/AFP)

Original source: Middle East Eye