Document: Interim Agreement - Josephs Tomb to have Israeli guards and free
unimpeded access for Israelis

Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA 14 February 2012

The core condition set by pretty much all the players (U.S., Quartet, etc.)
is that the Fatah-Hamas Gaza-West Bank PA government must be committed to
honoring all of the agreements.

Mahmoud Abbas has repeatedly insisted that this is indeed the case.

Yesterday the independent Palestinian news bureau, Ma’an, featured an item
that Israeli Rabbis visited Joseph's Tomb in Nablus last Thursday guarded by
Palestinian Authority forces in order to pray for the health of Rabbi
lyashiv.

“The PA considers Joseph’s Tomb a historic site which everybody has the
right to access as long as they comply with Palestinian instructions and
regulations, because the tomb is under Palestinian control,” the governor of
Nablus Jibreel al-Bakri told Ma'an.

But the item notes that :"Jewish worshipers ...make monthly nocturnal
pilgrimages to the site. "
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=459971

That wasn't the agreement that the PA is supposed to be honoring.

If the PA was honoring the agreement, Jews would be visiting and praying at
Joseph's Tomb 24/7 rather than once a month plus a handful of exceptions.

Below is an excerpt of the agreement.

THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN INTERIM AGREEMENT ON THE WEST BANK AND THE GAZA
STRIP
September 28, 1995

Annex I
Protocol Concerning Redeployment and Security Arrangements

ARTICLE V
Security Arrangements in the West Bank
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/THE+ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN+INTERIM+AGREEMENT+-+Annex+I.htm#

Article 52. Area A
..
b. Jewish Holy Sites

(1) The following provisions will apply with respect to the
securityarrangements in Jewish holy sites in Area A which are listed in
Appendix 4to this Annex:

(a) While the protection of these sites, as well as of persons visitingthem,
will be under the responsibility of the Palestinian Police, a JMUshall
function in the vicinity of, and on the access routes to, each suchsite, as
directed by the relevant DCO.

(b) The functions of each such JMU shall be as follows:

(i) to ensure free, unimpeded and secure access to the relevant Jewish
holysite; and

(ii) to ensure the peaceful use of such site, to prevent any
potentialinstances of disorder and to respond to any incident.

(c) Given the Jewish religious nature of such sites, Israeli
plainclothesguards may be present inside such sites.(

2) The present situation and the existing religious practices shall be
preserved.

....

APPENDIX 4 Jewish Holy Sites

Pursuant to Article V of this Annex the Jewish Holy Sites are as follows:

1. Joseph's Tomb (Nablus)

2. Shalom Al Israel synagogue (Jericho)