AFP
Jerusalem
Israel took the rare and drastic step of barring Palestinians from Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday as fears of a further escalation in violence mounted after attacks that killed two Israelis and wounded a child.
A series of clashes involving Israeli security forces, Jewish settlers and Palestinians also broke out in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with security chiefs to discuss the situation.
The Old City restrictions will be in place for two days, with only Israelis, tourists, residents of the area, business owners and students allowed, police said.
Worship at the sensitive Al-Aqsa mosque compound will be limited to men aged 50 and above. There will be no age restrictions on women.
The Palestinian government denounced "Israeli escalation" after the announcement of the ban, which Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan called unprecedented.
The latest attacks came with Israeli security forces already on alert after recent clashes at the Al-Aqsa compound and surrounding Old City, as well as the murder in the West Bank of a Jewish settler couple in front of their young children. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for calm, saying he was "deeply concerned that these latest incidents signal a dangerous slide toward escalation".
- Tear gas and bullets -
There were clashes elsewhere overnight and on Sunday, and the Red Crescent reported 77 Palestinians wounded from both live rounds and rubber bullets.
Another 139 had been treated for tear gas inhalation and six for injuries sustained in beatings by soldiers or Jewish settlers, a Red Crescent spokeswoman said.
Clashes broke out in areas including Jenin in the West Bank and the east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Issawiya, where the attacker in Sunday morning's stabbing, identified as Fadi Alloun, was from.
Netanyahu returned from the United States on Sunday and held consultations with security chiefs. His security cabinet is also to meet on Monday, after the end of the Jewish Sukkot holiday.
