800 People Daven at Kever Yosef

Some 800 people came to daven at Kever Yosef Wednesday night, and IDF troops quashed riots by Arabs who sought to attack mispallelim. Soldiers used anti-riot measures to fend off the terrorists. Arab sources reported that several of the rioters were injured, including a reporter for the Palestinian Authority-based Al-Quds newspaper.

Arabs have vandalized and set fire to Kever Yosef numerous times since the signing of the Oslo Accords, most notably in 2000, 2003, 2008 and 2014. Between 2003 and 2009, the site remained desolate, until Israel and the PA reached an accord on refurbishing the site in 2010. Currently, Jews are allowed to visit Kever Yosef a total of 15 times a year – usually on Erev Rosh Chodesh or during chagim – to daven.

IDF soldiers overnight Wednesday seized terror funds from Arabs in Chevron. The money was part of payments made by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to the families of terrorists for committing terror acts against Israelis, officials said. Weapons for use in terror attacks were also found in the city.

Overnight Wenesday, security officials said they arrested 15 wanted security suspects in Yehudah and Shomron. The suspects were wanted for participating in rioting and throwing stones and firebombs that endangered Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Several of the suspects were also charged with belonging to Hamas. All were being questioned on their activities by security forces.