NABLUS, Yehuda and Shomron (VINnews) — A group of Israeli worshippers visited Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus on Sunday for a daytime prayer service, the first such civilian visit during daylight hours since Israeli forces withdrew from the site more than 25 years ago.

The visit was coordinated with Israeli security officials and included local settlement leaders and lawmakers who have advocated for expanding Jewish access to the shrine.

Joseph’s Tomb, located on the outskirts of Nablus in Yehuda and Shomron, is considered by many Jews to be the burial place of the biblical patriarch Joseph. The site has long been a focal point of religious and political tensions because it is situated within a Palestinian-controlled area.

Supporters of Sunday’s visit said they hope it will lead to more frequent daytime access and eventually a larger Israeli presence at the compound. Some participants have also called for the return of a yeshiva that once operated near the site before the outbreak of the Second Intifada.

Israel maintained a permanent military presence at Joseph’s Tomb throughout much of the 1990s. Following intense violence that accompanied the start of the Palestinian uprising in 2000, Israeli forces evacuated the compound, ending a continuous presence there.

Since then, Jewish worshippers have periodically visited the site under military escort, generally during limited and tightly controlled access periods.

The latest visit comes amid renewed debate among Israeli political and settlement leaders over Jewish access to religious sites in Yehuda and Shomron and the future status of the territory.