Thousands of worshipers entered Joseph's Tomb in Shechem (Nablus) for a special prayer on the Passover holiday. The visit was led by members of bereaved families - Rivka Livnat, the mother of Ben Yosef Livnat, who was murdered at the site 14 years ago , and Rabbi Dudu Ben-Natan, the father of Sergeant First Class (res.) Shuvael Ben-Natan, who fell in the war. They were joined by Samaria Council head Yossi Dagan and MK Tzvi Succot, who called on the government and security forces to promote a permanent Jewish presence in the Joseph's Tomb compound, and to restore Israeli control there. Rivka Livnat said: “We haven’t been here for 24 years. Enough of this disgrace. If we want, we can come back. It's just a matter of decision. No more disgrace. Let's return to Joseph’s Tomb.” Rabbi Ben-Natan said, “For the last six months since my son Shuvael – part of the thought in naming him Shuvael is to 'return to' – after we were here and were expelled in such a disgrace, we want to return to the Joseph the Righteous. The people of Israel need to wake up, the government needs to wake up, hear the voice of Joseph crying out from the pit and shouting: 'Get me out of here.'” Yossi Dagan said: "We must correct the situation in which we have abandoned Joseph’s Tomb, this monument of life. No people in the world has such holy places, and such holy people, who are the founders of this nation. We are commanded to do everything possible to correct the disgrace which occurred on October 7, 2000 - the flight from Joseph’s Tomb, after the abandonment of our dear brother Madahat Yousouf. We are commanded to return here, and the return to Joseph’s Tomb will give strength to the people of Israel and the government to apply sovereignty here.” Related articles: Council heads demand full Jewish control over Joseph's Tomb Released hostage Agam Berger visits Joseph's Tomb Parha Yousouf, mother of fallen soldier Madahat, passes away Begin, Joseph, and the Maccabees of Today Tzvi Succot concluded: “On this day, we all join the call of the bereaved families – that it is time to return to Joseph’s tomb. It's time to come back here. This disgrace that Joseph the Righteous has been in the pit for so many years, abandoned to Arabs who are dirtying and destroying here all the time - and these terrorists are the ones who are guarding Joseph the Righteous.” “This disgrace must end. We are at a time when it is possible, and it is time to return to the tomb of Joseph the Righteous, with a full Jewish presence all year round.” At the end of the prayer, Dagan recited the prayers for the welfare of the hostages, for the success of the IDF soldiers in the war, and for complete healing of the wounded. He thanked the Samaria Brigade Commander Ariel Gonen, Lt. Col. Elitzur Trebelsi, the Staff Officer of the Central Command, the IDF, the Border Police and the Israel Police, and the volunteers who manage the Samaria Regional Council's Management's holy sites.
