Residents of the village of Awarta desecrated the Tomb of the 70 Elders and wrote on the walls: “October 7th is a legendary day.”
The flag of the “Popular Front” was raised over a holy site in Samaria; graffiti commemorating and praising October 7th was sprayed on the walls; security forces entered the village, removed the flag, and cleaned the walls of the ancient tomb.
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On May 11, 2026, it was discovered that Arab rioters from the village of Awarta in Samaria desecrated the Tomb of the 70 Elders site — one of the holiest sites in Judaism in northern Samaria. The flag of the terrorist organization “The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine” was raised over the tomb, and graffiti supporting the October 7th massacre was sprayed on the walls of the complex, including: “October 7th is a legendary day.” Israeli security forces entered the village and erased the inscriptions.
Desecration of a Holy Site from the Biblical Era
According to Jewish tradition, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron the Priest — the brother of Moses — are buried in the village of Awarta, as well as the seventy elders who led the people of Israel when they left Egypt. The site is evidence of the ancient Jewish presence in Samaria and serves as a pilgrimage destination for Jewish communities.
The spraying of “October 7th is a legendary day” on the ancient tomb complex — where thousands of Israelis were murdered, raped, and kidnapped — as a symbol of pride and inspiration, is a challenge to the Jewish presence in the Land of Israel and evidence of the hatred and terrorism emanating from the village’s residents.
The “Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine” is designated as a terrorist organization in Israel, the United States, and the European Union, and is responsible for dozens of terrorist attacks against Israelis over the years.
Questions and Answers
- What is the Tomb of the 70 Elders site in Awarta? According to Jewish tradition, Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron the Priest, are buried in the village of Awarta in Samaria, alongside the seventy elders who led the people of Israel in the desert alongside Moses. The site is a pilgrimage destination and is regarded as one of the prominent holy sites in Samaria.
- What did the rioters write on the walls of the tomb? Among the inscriptions sprayed on the complex was the phrase “October 7th is a legendary day” — a public expression of solidarity with the October 7th massacre. Additionally, the flag of the “Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine” was raised over the tomb.