UPDATE - Top Turkish cleric condemns Israel's closure of Al-Aqsa

UPDATES WITH TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT

By Aynur Ekiz, Eshat Firat

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s top cleric Friday condemned Israel's closing of Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshippers.

"There cannot be any legitimate reason to close a mosque like the Al-Aqsa to the believers on Friday," Mehmet Gormez tweeted.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also released a statement saying: "We regret the incident and the loss of lives that took place this morning at Al-Haram Al-Sharif [Al-Aqsa]."

The ministry said: "It is a humanitarian and legal obligation to respect the sanctity and historical status of the religious sites in the Israeli occupied East Jerusalem, especially Al-Haram Al-Sharif."

"In this framework, Al-Haram Al-Sharif should be opened to [worshippers] via the immediate lifting of the entry ban imposed by Israel and calm should be attained as soon as possible," it added.

On Friday, Israeli police shot dead three Palestinians after an armed attack claimed the lives of two officers inside the flashpoint Al-Aqsa compound.

According to a statement by the Israeli police, the Palestinians opened fire at the Israeli officers at the Old City of Jerusalem’s Lion's Gate (Bab Al-Asbat).

The Palestinian attackers fled the scene towards the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, and an exchange of fire took place between them and the Israeli police.

“Two police officers were critically injured and later died of their wounds in an Israeli hospital, while a third one was hurt by shrapnel and is out of danger,” police said.

According to the police, the three Palestinians are identified as Mohammed Ahmad Jabarin, 29, Mohammad Hamed Jabarin,19, and Mohammad Ahmad Jabarin, 19, from the Arab city of Umm Al-Fahm in northern Israel.

Following the attack, Israeli police cleared the Al-Aqsa mosque and closed it to the public.

Israeli prime ministerial spokesman Ofir Gendelman said in a written statement that a decision regarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque would be made on Sunday, during cabinet meeting.

He said the investigation remained ongoing, hinting that the holy site could be closed until Sunday.