Three Arab-Israeli gunmen killed two Israeli policemen near Jerusalem's holiest site, the Temple Mount, or Noble Sanctuary on Friday. The gunmen were then killed by security forces.

"When they saw the policemen they shot towards them and then escaped towards one of the mosques in the Temple Mount compound," police spokeswoman Luba Simri said. "A chase ensued and the three terrorists were killed by police."

The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary (Haram al-Sharif), is sacred in both the Judaistic and the Islamic tradition.

The site houses several sacred buildings and structures

There was protest at the closure of the site for Muslim prayers from the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem,

Mohammad Hussein, who urged Palestinians to defy the closure. He was later reported to have been detained but was released later Friday after being questioned, according to one of his sons.

On Saturday, Adnan Husseini, the Palestinian Authority's Jerusalem governor, called the closure "unprecented" and warned the situation was "dangerous." It is the first time the mosque has been closed since 1969.

Noon prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque in the compound are usually attended by tens of thousands of Muslims from Israel and the West Bank on Fridays. Unable to gain access to the site, they performed prayers in the streets near the Old City on Friday instead.

Police closed the site after the attack

Consequences of closure

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack in a telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but also said closing the area could have repercussions. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack and his spokesman said: "This incident has the potential to ignite further violence. All must act responsibly to avoid escalation."

Jordan is a custodian of the compound in Israeli-occupied east Jerusalem. On Friday, government spokesman Mohammad Al Momani called on Israel to end the closure, which he described as an "attack on the right of Muslims to practise their religious rituals in their holy sites."

The Israeli prime minister said later on Friday that the compound would be gradually reopened from Sunday, dependent on security assessments.

As he was leaving for an official visit to France, Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying "It has been decided to reopen the Temple Mount gradually tomorrow [on Sunday] for the faithful, visitors and tourists."

On Saturday, Israeli security forces were reported to have locked down parts of Jerusalem's Old City, restricting access through Damascus Gate, the main entrance used by Palestinians.

Focus of tensions

The site has often been a flashpoint for clashes and protests, although there has seldom been gunfire. It is considered the third-holiest site in Islam and the holiest in Judaism.

Jerusalem is still in the grip of a series of Palestinian street attacks that began in 2015, although the violence has slowed.

Since September 2015, Palestinian attackers have killed 43 Israelis, two visiting Americans and a British tourist. Israeli forces have killed more than 254 Palestinians in that time, with authorities describing most of the dead as attackers.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Mount of Olives today The old City Wall and the gold-domed Muslim shrine, the Dome of the Rock, are visible in the background from the mountain ridge which lies to the east of the Old City. The Old Jewish Cemetery, situated on the western and southern slopes of the ridge, are in an area once named for its many olive groves. It is the oldest continually used Jewish cemetery in the world.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Mount of Olives then If it weren't for the ancient Ottoman city wall and the shrine in the background, viewers might not realize this is the same site. The picture was taken on June 7th, 1967, when the peak was this brigade's command post at the height of the Six-Day War, or Arab-Israeli War.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Al-Aqsa mosque today Al-Aqsa, with its silver-colored dome and vast hall, is located on Temple Mount. Muslims call the mosque the "Noble Sanctuary," but it is also the most sacred site in Judaism, a place where two biblical temples were believed to have stood. As well, it is the third holiest site in Sunni Islam, after Mecca and Medina. There have long been tensions over control of the entire Temple Mount area.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Al-Aqsa mosque then The name Al-Aqsa translates to "the farthest mosque." It is also Jerusalem's biggest mosque. Israel has strict control over the area after conquering all of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, and regaining access to its religious sites. Leaders at the time agreed that the Temple Mount would be administered by an Islamic religious trust known as the Waqf.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Damascus Gate today The historic Gate, named in English for the fact that the road from there heads north to Damascus, is a busy main entrance to Palestinian East Jerusalem, and to a bustling Arab bazaar. Over the past two years, it has frequently been the site of security incidents and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Damascus Gate then The gate itself - what we see today was built by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1537 - looks much the same in this July 1967 picture. Seven Gates allow entrance to the Old City and its separate quarters.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Old City today Jerusalem's vibrant Old City, a UNESCO world Heritage Site since 1981, is home to sites important to many different religions: the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque for Muslims, Temple Mount and the Western Wall for Jews, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians. Busy and colorful, it is a great place for shopping and food, and a top attraction for visitors.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Old City then This picture was taken in July 1967, but 50 years later, some things in the Old City haven't changed at all. Boys like the one in the photo balancing a tray of sesame pastries - called bagels - still roam the streets of the Old City today, hawking the sweet breads sprinkled with sesame seeds for about a euro ($1.12) apiece.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Western Wall today This section of ancient limestone wall in Jerusalem's Old City is the western support wall of the Temple Mount. It is the most religious site for Jewish people, who come here to pray and perhaps to place a note in a crack in the wall. There is a separate section for men and for women, but it is free and open to everyone all year round - after the obligatory security check.

Jerusalem in 1967 and 2017 Western Wall then The Western Wall is also known as the 'Wailing' Wall, a term considered derogatory and not used by Jews. The above photo of people flocking to the Wall to pray was taken on September 1, 1967, just weeks after Israel regained control of the site following the Six-Day-War. It had been expelled from the Old City 19 years earlier during Jordan's occupation. Author: Dagmar Breitenbach



jm/msh (Reuters, AFP)