Condemning Attack on Joseph’s Tomb, Secretary-General Urges Respect for Holy Sites, Rejection of Extremists’ Bid to Spark Religious Conflict

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General condemns the arson attack by Palestinian protesters against Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, in the West Bank, today.  He welcomes President Mahmoud Abbas’ immediate condemnation of the attack and his announcement that a committee has been established to conduct a full investigation of this crime.  The Secretary-General looks forward to a thorough investigation to quickly bring the perpetrators to justice.

This reprehensible act is yet another example of the escalating violence in the region threatening to further inflame sensitivities owing to the religious significance of Joseph’s Tomb.  The Secretary-General calls on all sides to respect the sanctity of all holy sites, refrain from any inflammatory actions or statements and reject the extremist elements that are pursuing a political agenda seeking to transform the current situation into a religious conflict.