Jewish worshippers calling to retake Joseph’s Tomb tear-gassed by IDF  

A longstanding Friday afternoon prayer service near the entrance to Shechem, led by bereaved families calling for the retaking of Joseph’s Tomb, ended in chaos last week when IDF soldiers fired tear gas grenades at the worshippers. The incident occurred near Training Base 3 and marks the first violent disruption of a ceremony that has taken place weekly for the past three months without incident.

The service, attended by families who lost sons in the ongoing war, has become a quiet and consistent tradition. Last Friday’s prayer included the participation of MK Zvi Succot (Religious Zionist Party), Chairman of the Knesset Subcommittee on Judea and Samaria, who was invited by the grieving families.

Following the incident, MK Succot harshly condemned the officer who ordered the use of force and called for his immediate dismissal. “For half a year now, every Friday, a fixed afternoon prayer has taken place at the entrance to Shechem,” Succot wrote in a public statement. “The event has always been peaceful, with no confrontations. Bereaved families organize the prayer, and soldiers often join in.”

Succot noted that the road near the site had been closed to Arab traffic since the war began, specifically to maintain order and avoid friction. He explained that the prayer typically includes a brief religious service, a small circle dance, and a respectful dispersal of participants.

However, this week’s gathering took a dramatic turn when an IDF officer reportedly arrived mid-prayer and demanded the immediate evacuation of the area. A police officer at the scene requested that the group be allowed to finish their prayers before dispersing, but the officer allegedly refused and ordered immediate action.

“Before anyone could respond, he instructed the soldiers to launch tear gas grenades at the worshippers,” Succot said. He also claimed the officer attempted to seize his phone by force when he began documenting the incident.

Describing the decision as “illegal and improper,” Succot said, “You do not fire at Jews in prayer, especially not when they are peaceful and pose no threat.” He added that anyone who shows hostility toward religious Jews or settlers should not hold command positions in the IDF.

The IDF has not yet issued an official response to the allegations.