ISRAELI OFFICER PRAISES PA SECURITY SERVICES’ ROLE IN PROTECTING SETTLERS

West Bank,1 Shaban 1436/19 May 2015 (MINA) – A senior Israeli officer commended the Palestinian Authority’s security services’ efforts to facilitate and secure Jewish settlers’ visits to Joseph’s Tomb in the city of Nablus, north of the West Bank.

Israel’s Channel 7 quoted on its website the operations officer in the Judea and Samaria Brigade, Eyal Sabbagh, as saying: “The Palestinian security forces are cooperating with the Israeli army and protect Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus around the clock and the visits are implemented with previous cooperation with them.”

According to Sabbagh, the most recent visit to Joseph’s Tomb on Friday took place after several months of mutual coordination with the Palestinian Authority security services.

The event was attended by 4,000 settlers who came to perform religious rituals in the celebration of the Jewish holiday Sefirat HaOmer. They were accompanied by Central Command Chief, Roni Numa, and army leaders in the West Bank, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) reports as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

The Israeli officer said in remarks published yesterday: “Our mission is to implement the political decision on Joseph’s Tomb and to enable people to access to this holy place and pray in it.”

“There are many preparations, starting with travel arrangements from all regions to security companies, guards from the army and police, and intelligence agencies which examine things before the civilians enter the place,” he added. (T/P002/NMT)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)