Palestinian rioters desecrated a site in the West Bank considered holy to the Christian and Jewish faiths. The vandalism took place as Israel continued making gains against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and struck several locations used by the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
Joshua’s Altar on Mount Ebal is a site revered as utilized by the prophet Joshua more than 3,000 years ago. The Palestinian rioters spray-painted slogans on the site and lit tires on fire.
Christian Historian Urges Israel to Protect Biblical Heritage Sites In response to the recent vandalization of Joshua’s Altar on #MountEbal, a Christian historian called on #Israel to take stronger measures to protect the holy site. https://t.co/ZKp9b2jqgx pic.twitter.com/1jBpiBXbVH
— TPS – Israel's News Agency (@TPS_News_co_il) January 7, 2024
Photos of red spray paint on the rock structure could be seen in recent photographs.
This is not the first time that Palestinians have desecrated a site holy to Jews or Christians. There have been multiple engagements over the last several decades near the Western Wall, the last remaining part of the original Great Temple of Jerusalem, built by Solomon.
In addition, in 2002 Palestinian terrorists held themselves up in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity. During the occupation, the Palestinians held more than 200 people hostage.
Hezbollah terrorists launched a rocket barrage against Israel following multiple engagements last week.
Israeli forces reportedly used a drone to kill a top Hamas commander in Lebanon, which Hezbollah vowed to avenge. Separately, Israel targeted a number of Hezbollah rocket sites in southern Lebanon, killing multiple fighters.
At least one of the rocket attacks targeted an Israeli base in the northern part of the country, damaging it.
The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) said that the attack damaged part of the Meron Air Force Base, but that despite the attack its capabilities remained online. Israel also said that it was currently repairing the site.
Hezbollah claimed that it directly impacted the base, which is used to monitor incoming rocket fire and aids Israel’s air traffic control.
At least six Hezbollah fighters were killed in Israeli strikes on a missile base used by the terrorist group.
Hezbollah has not fully joined the war against Israel, even as Israel has now occupied nearly all of the northern half of the Gaza Strip in its ongoing war against Hamas.
