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Thousands of devout Jews descended on a Palestinian village Friday in a rare pilgrimage to three disputed tombs, praying and dancing at a site they claim holds the remains of biblical ancestors.
The visit, made under the guard of soldiers enforcing a curfew on local residents, took place before dawn Friday to try to avoid provoking trouble with the Palestinians of Kifl Hares, who say the graves hold the remains of Muslims.
...No clashes were reported during the pilgrimage to Kifl Hares, which began late Thursday and ended early Friday. The Palestinian mayor, however, called it "a serious bother."
Israeli soldiers, some using glow sticks to direct traffic in the darkness, imposed a curfew on the Palestinian residents [the visit took place almost at midnight; all are asleep in any case]. The Jewish visitors, some carrying children or pushing strollers, walked the village's narrow streets. Near the tombs, groups of ultra-Orthodox men with sidelocks and black hats recited prayers, sang and danced in circles.
Some devout Jews claim biblical Joshua, along with his father, Nun, and companion Caleb are buried in Kifl Hares. Local Palestinians say the graves hold the remains of Muslims.
About 5,000 Jews from around Israel and its West Bank settlements flocked to the village on Thursday night, many on buses chartered for the trip...Outside, merchants hawked religious books, CDs and bumper stickers. Others distributed soft drinks and slices of noodle cake. Later, groups of Orthodox men joined arms and danced in a circle, singing praise songs.
"It's a unique opportunity where they are able to reach the burial place of one of the most important leaders of the Jewish people," said David Haivri, one of the organizers.
..."All three are Islamic graves," Bouzia said, adding that one contains the remains of an ancestor. "Anyone who uses his eyes and head can see that these are Islamic graves."
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