Far-right activists attack synagogue in Istanbul over Jerusalem lockdown

Far-right Turkish protesters have attacked an Istanbul synagogue over the Israeli lockdown of Jerusalem's Old City.

Members of the Alperen Hearths, a religious ultra-nationalist street movement affiliated to the Great Unity Party (BBP), rallied outside the Neve Salom synagogue in central Istanbul late last night, condemning Israel as a "terror state."

“If you prevent our freedom of worship there then we will prevent your freedom of worship here,” they said in a statement, read by the group’s local chairman Kursat Mican.

According to the Dogan News Agency, protesters kicked the doors of the synagogue and threw stones, but were later dispersed.

The synagogue said it expected the authorities to investigate the incident.

“We condemn the provocative action outside the Neve Salom synagogue tonight," it said in a statement.

"We expect that the relevant authorities will take the necessary measures."

It comes following a phone call between Israeli President Reuvin Rivlin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday in a bid to calm tensions over the mounting tensions in Jerusalem.

“Given the importance that Haram al-Sharif carries for the whole Islamic world, the metal detectors put in place by Israel should be removed in the shortest possible time and an end put to the tension,” Erdogan told Rivlin.

Erdogan also expressed his “sadness” over the “casualties" caused by the attack outside the Al-Aqsa mosque on 14 July which sparked the current unrest.