US bars Old City to American government officials until Saturday morning

The statement said the directive was “due to a major security incident that occurred in the vicinity of the Lion's Gate of the Old City.”

By HERB KEINON
Updated: JULY 14, 2017 14:18
Site of terror attack on Temple Mount July 14
As a result of Friday morning's attack, the US Consulate-General in Jerusalem issued a rare directive to all US government employees and their family member to refrain from entering the Old City of Jerusalem until Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. “without prior approval” from the Consulate General.
The statement from the US Consulate General was entitled: “Security Message for US Citizens – Potential for Violence and Unrest in and Around Old City Jerusalem.”
The statement said the directive was “due to a major security incident that occurred in the vicinity of the Lion's Gate of the Old City.”
Te Consulate General recommended that “private US citizens take into consideration these restrictions” in addition to the standing State Department guidance on travel to Israel, Jerusalem and the West Bank.
That travel advisory, dated from April 11,, reads: “Within Israel and the West Bank, the possibility of random violence continues to exist and can happen without warning. The frequency of attacks has declined significantly since a rise in political and religious tensions led to a spike in violence in October 2015. US citizens have been killed and wounded in recent attacks, though there is no indication they were specifically targeted based on nationality.”