Two Israeli police and three gunmen killed in shootout at holy site

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Two Israeli police and three gunmen killed in shootout at holy site

Prayers cancelled at Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif complex in Jerusalem as attack threatens to raise Israeli-Palestinian tensions

Peter Beaumont in Jerusalem
Friday 14 July 2017 11.47 BST

Two Israeli police officers have been shot dead and three gunmen killed during an early-morning shootout in one of Jerusalem’s most holy and sensitive sites.

The attack – involving three Israeli citizens of Palestinian origin – took place just after 7am in the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif complex in Jerusalem. It began near the Lions’ Gate entrance to the compound, which is revered as a holy site by both Muslims and Jews.

A few hours after the incident, the chief of the Israeli police, Roni Alsheich, confirmed the death of the two male officers from wounds sustained in the attack.

The incident was among the most serious in Jerusalem in recent years and threatened to raise Israeli-Palestinian tensions. The two dead police officers were named as Hael Sathawi, 30, and Kamil Shnan, 22.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/14/shooting-attack-jerusalem-temple-mount-friday-prayers

[Mosby]

1. the article contains a false statement

Last edited Tue Jul 18, 2017, 12:44 AM - Edit history (1)

Jews are permitted to visit the site but not pray there, a prohibition supported by the mainstream Jewish Halakhic tradition.

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There is no Jewish halachic prohibition against prayer on the Temple Mount. The Temple Mount arrangements between Israel and the Islamic Wakf are political in nature, note that the rule against prayer also applies to Christians.

Some ultra orthodox won't go on the mount for fear of inadvertently walking on top of a special part of the old temple.

Eta:
PHOTO: Jews reciting kaddish at area where 2 Police officers were murdered on Temple mount, taking advantage of abs… https://t.co/1k0SsEqT7n

[Mosby]

2. More info

The two police officers were Druze.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/terror-in-the-old-city-is-all-too-familiar-but-fridays-attack-was-something-else/

Temple Mount killers aimed to set the Middle East ablaze
http://www.timesofisrael.com/temple-mount-killers-aimed-to-set-the-middle-east-ablaze/