JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Channel 13 political correspondent Michael Shemesh encountered a disturbing scene on Tuesday morning at the Tomb of Shmuel Hanavi, a revered site located just outside Jerusalem that attracts tens of thousands of worshippers each year.

Join our WhatsApp group

Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email

Shemesh, who is himself charedi, documented the damage at the holy site, where an unidentified individual allegedly vandalized the curtain covering the tomb and erased the word “Israel” that appears near the top of the curtain. According to Shemesh, the vandal also tore part of the curtain and used a pen to try to damage the emblem of the State of Israel displayed on it.

“Tell me, how low does a person have to sink to desecrate one of the holiest places just to erase the symbol of the State?” Shemesh said in a video he posted documenting the incident. “How low does a person have to sink to vandalize such a holy place simply because of hatred of the state?” he added.

אלמוני השחית את הפרוכת בציון שמואל הנביא כדי למחוק את סמל המדינה https://t.co/SY0GlaMXLy

— מיכאל שמש Michael Shemesh (@shemeshmicha) October 6, 2026

Shemesh strongly condemned the incident, describing the vandalism as “disgusting behavior” that desecrated a sacred site. He also called on law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.

“I hope the law enforcement authorities, the police, will prosecute this person to the full extent of the law,” Shemesh said. “Such disgusting behavior, which desecrates such a holy place, must be met with a very firm response.”

The Tomb of Shmuel Hanavi, traditionally identified with the biblical prophet and judge Samuel, is located on Mount Samuel northwest of Jerusalem. The site has long served as a place of pilgrimage and prayer for Jews and is also significant to Muslims and Christians.