Israel: Gunmen kill two police officers in Jerusalem’s Old City July 14

Event

Security officials confirmed that three Arab-Israeli gunmen attacked a group of police officers near the Lions’ Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City on the morning of Friday, July 4. The attackers killed two officers and wounded another one before fleeing the area. Additional police officers pursued the gunmen and killed them. In the wake of the incident, the US Embassy in Israel announced that all US government personnel had been restricted from entering the Old City until at least July 15 at 08:00 (local time), and recommended that all US citizens take the information into account when planning their movements.  Expect increased security measures in the area. Protests associated with the incident may also occur.

Context

At least 260 Palestinians and one Jordanian citizen have been killed since a wave of violent Palestinian street attacks began in 2015. Israel claims at least 177 of those killed were carrying out attacks, while the rest died in clashes and protests. In addition to these deaths, 40 Israelis, two US tourists, and one British student have been killed in Palestinian stabbings, shootings, and car-rammings.

Longstanding political and social tensions between Israelis and Palestinians contribute to frequent security incidents of varying severity. Israel claims that these incidents are largely the result of the Palestinian Authority (PA) fueling social unrest with calls to protest, whereas Palestinians criticize what they describe as an illegal occupation by the Israeli population.

Advice

Individuals in Jerusalem are advised to keep abreast of the situation and to avoid any public demonstrations due to the risk of violence.

More generally due to the ongoing terrorist threat, travelers are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities and to remain vigilant when visiting sites deemed particularly likely to be targeted in an attack (public transportation, train stations, ports, airports, public or government buildings, embassies or consulates, international organizations, schools and universities, religious sites, markets, hotels and restaurants frequented by foreigners/Westerners, etc.). As a reminder, several Western governments advise their citizens against all travel to the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and areas near the Lebanese, Syrian, and Egyptian borders.