Jerusalem Synagogue Attack: Israel Issues Order to Destroy Homes of Palestinian Killers

The family of the two Palestinian men who killed five people in a deadly attack on a Jerusalem synagogue have said that Israeli police have ordered the demolition of their houses.

Said Abu Jamal, a cousin of both attackers, told Associated Press that the families in East Jerusalem received the demolition orders from the Israeli authorities on Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered authorities to destroy the residences of the families.

The two attackers entered a West Jerusalem synagogue with a pistol, axes and knives, and murdered four Israeli worshippers - all with US or British citizenship - and a Druze policeman.

Tensions have continued to rise in the Israeli capital following an attempted assassination of a far-right Jewish activist, a series of Palestinian stabbing attacks against Israelis and protests by Arab-Israelis which led to a 24-hour general strike.

Unrest in the holy city has been exacerbated by developments regarding the Temple Mount, or Al-Aqsa compound, which has witnessed clashes after proposals to enhance Jewish access to the flashpoint site, where they are currently banned from praying.

Recently, Israeli Housing Minister Uri Ariel said that Israel will eventually replace Al-Aqsa Mosque with a Jewish temple, despite the compound being the third-holiest site in Islam.