04 October 2015•Update: 08 October 2015
JERUSALEM
Israeli police have placed heavy restrictions on entry to Jerusalem's historic Old City on Sunday, a day after a fatal stabbing attack.
Only Palestinians who live, work or study in the walled Old City will be allowed in until Tuesday, the police said in a statement. Israeli citizens and tourists will still have access.
"Police units, border police at entrance to market area in Old City. Security measures continuing in Arab neighborhoods," tweeted police spokesperson Superintendent Micky Rosenfeld.
The clampdown followed two stabbing attacks in Jerusalem's Old City; the first on Saturday night killing two Israeli men and injuring two others, and the second injuring a 15-year-old boy early Sunday.
In both cases, police said they shot dead the alleged Palestinian attackers.
Rami Saleh, a director of the Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid and Human Rights, said the restrictions on the Old City "impact us in a very, very bad way".
"They are restricting Palestinians from visiting our own city. The Old City is the center of Jerusalem, the center of Palestine itself. It is the commercial center for Palestinians. It will have too many commercial, economic impacts," he said.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that hundreds of right-wing Israelis marched in Jerusalem after the attack on Saturday night, allegedly assaulting several Palestinians.
The police have also extended limits on entry into the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, the third holiest site in Islam, only allowing access to men over 50 and women.
Such restrictions, imposed with brief breaks since Sep 13. in line with a series of Jewish holidays, had already caused raised tensions in the Old City.
As a result, Palestinian youth have frequently clashed with police in and around Al-Aqsa.
They claim the restrictions infringe on their rights to worship at the site, which is officially managed by Jordan, not Israel. Despite a ban on Jewish prayer at the site, hardline Jewish groups have toured the compound accompanied by Israeli soldiers on several occasions since Sep. 13.
The killing of an Israeli couple in the West Bank on Thursday also heightened tensions, leading to reprisal attacks by Israeli settlers who burnt Palestinian vehicles and property.
