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 Submitted by Nadav Rapaport on Thu, 05/14/2026 - 08:46 Far-right minister vows to make Israeli presence at the site permanent, despite it being located in the heart of a Palestinian city 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) Off 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).