NABLUS , West Bank, Oct. 16 (UPI) — A group of Palestinians allegedly set the Nablus, West Bank, tomb of Joseph on fire Friday, severely damaging the Jewish holy site amid rioting.

Palestinian security forces put out the fire at the site Jews venerate as the resting site of the biblical patriarch Joseph, son of Jacob, and his two sons.

The Israel Defense Force also arrived to restore order and disperse the crowd, which number about 100.

The incident comes as tensions in Jerusalem and the West Bank between Israelis and Palestinians ratchets upward. There have been reports of stabbings nearly daily, and dozens of Israelis and Palestnians have been killed and injured in the past two weeks in isolated incidents across the area.

Arabic groups, including Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad called for a “day of rage” Friday to protest Israeli actions against Palestinians.

Read the article “Joseph’s Tomb Set on Fire Amid West Bank Riots” on upi.com.