Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reportedly called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an unprecedented phone call, to condemn the shooting attack at the flashpoint holy site, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City, leaving two Israeli police officers and the three Palestinian assailants dead Friday morning.
"The president (Abbas) expressed his strong rejection and condemnation of the incident at the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque and his rejection of any act of violence from any side, especially in places of worship," official Palestinian news agency WAFA said.
"Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu ... called for calm on all sides," he added.
Netanyahu also assured Abbas that Israel has no intention of changing the status quo surrounding the flashpoint issue of the Temple Mount or al-Aqsa, a site seen as holy to both Jews and Muslims.
Netanyahu has previously called out the Fatah leader for failing to denounce terror attacks by Palestinians carried out against Israelis and even accuses the Palestinian Authority of encouraging such attacks by offering payments to terrorists and their families.
Abbas has made calls for non-violent resistance to Israel but without specifically condemning Palestinian attacks. His statement regarding Friday's incident was stronger than previous such responses.
Netanyahu's office confirmed the phone call in a statement that said Abbas had condemned the attack.
"The prime minister said that Israel will take all the necessary measures in order to ensure the security on the (holy site) without changes in the status quo," the statement from his office said.
Condolences and condemnations poured in for the two Druze Israeli police officers who were killed.
“This is a difficult day for the Israel Police,” said Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich to reporters as he oversaw operations at the holy site. “We have two dead officers.”
The officers were identified as 30-year-old Haiel Sitawe and 22-year-old Kamil Shnaan, both from Druze communities in northern Israel.
They were treated on the scene by emergency medical services before being evacuated to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Mt. Scopus Hospital where they were pronounced dead.
A third officer was wounded by shrapnel fire and remains in light to moderate condition.
Netanyahu issued his own statement offering condolences to the officers’ families and the Druze community noting that the Druze pay “the heaviest price” for Israel’s security.
"I would like to send heartfelt condolences to the families of those murdered in today's terror attack on the Temple Mount: Police officers - Sergeant Major Haiel Sattawi and Kamil Shanan,” the premier said in the statement.
“The Druze community is paying the heaviest price in our joint mission to defend the security of our country, and I salute them and their heroism, and their memory will always be preserved in our hearts. "
Sattawi, an officer since 2012, leaves behind his wife, Irin, a three-week-old son, his parents and three brothers.
Shanan was the youngest son of a former Labor Party Knesset member, Shachiv Shnaan. He leaves behind his parents, one brother and three sisters, and a fiance whose engagement party was to be held next week.
