More than 7000 Jewish settlers swarmed at dawn Monday archeological and religious sites in the occupied West Bank where they performed rituals under military protection.
A Hebrew news website said that about 7500 settlers entered sites in the towns of as-Samu and Halhul and the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil as well as Joseph’s Tomb in eastern Nablus.
The website claimed that a pipe bomb was found and defused by the Israeli army in the area of Joseph’s Tomb adding that Israeli soldiers were thrown with stones and Molotov cocktails during their presence in the same area.
Palestinian local sources in Nablus reported that hundreds of settlers stormed Joseph’s Tomb under military escort and embarked on performing loud rituals and dancing to music.
They affirmed that violent clashes broke out between local young men and Israeli soldiers in different areas of eastern Nablus during the presence of settlers at the Tomb.
Four young men were detained by soldiers and two others were injured during the events.
In a separate incident the Israeli occupation forces stormed Awarta town in eastern Nablus and handed a Palestinian ex-detainee called Samer Sharab a summons for interrogation.
In al-Khalil dozens of settlers escorted by soldiers stormed after midnight Halhul city where they performed rituals in Mamas area.
Israeli troops also stormed al-Khalil city and kidnapped a former prisoner called Husam al-Hashlamon from his home.
Another military force stormed al-Samu city in the south of al-Khalil with no reported arrests.
