JERUSALEM HOLY CITY CLOSURE AS VIOLENCE ERUPT

Jerusalem holy site closure 'declaration of war' - Abbas

The shooting comes amid heightened tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem

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Israel and the Palestinians

A spokesman for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has described the closure of a disputed Jerusalem holy site as a "declaration of war".

The move came amid tension and violence after the shooting of a Jewish activist. Israel's PM urged calm, saying Mr Abbas was stoking unrest.
The holy site will reopen on Friday, Israel's economy minister says.
Yehuda Glick, a campaigner for greater Jewish prayer rights at the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif, was wounded.
Israeli police later killed a Palestinian suspected of shooting him. Moataz Hejazi, 32, was shot after reportedly opening fire when police surrounded his home.
Rabbi Glick is a well-known US-born campaigner for the right of Jews to pray at the site, which is currently prohibited.
The compound - known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif - is the holiest site in Judaism, and contains the al-Aqsa Mosque - the third holiest site in Islam.
In other developments

• Sweden became the first major Western European country to officially recognise Palestine as a state - Israel has recalled its ambassador to Sweden in response, according to an official quoted by AFP
• The UN Human Rights Committee urged Israel to halt settlement-building in the West Bank and investigate alleged violations committed by its military in Gaza since 2008
• US Secretary of State John Kerry described alleged insults which a senior US official aimed at Mr Netanyahu as "disgraceful, unacceptable and damaging"

Palestinians clashed with police as they tried to arrest the shooting suspect

Several Jewish protesters were arrested outside the compound

Rabbi Glick was photographed attending a conference shortly before the shooting

'Dangerous escalation'
Angry crowds gathered in Arab East Jerusalem near Hejazi's home as news spread that he had been shot.
Police used tear gas and rubber bullets against stone-throwing youths.

Analysis: BBC's Kevin Connolly in Jerusalem
A delicate status quo governs rights of access to al-Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. Israel captured the Old City in 1967 but swiftly handed control of the compound back to the Islamic religious authorities, fearful of triggering a Holy War. Israel's security forces do impose restrictions - banning men under the age of 50 from worshipping on occasion - but argue that is about maintaining order.
Jews are allowed to visit the site but not to pray there. Now some right-wing religious groups say Jews should be allowed to pray - a demand which causes anger and unease in the Muslim world.
If it all sounds familiar, well that is because it is. When Britain governed the Holy Land in 1929 a very similar dispute provoked rioting that led to widespread loss of life - a proper resolution of it all still feels hopelessly distant.

There was also a small demonstration by far-right Israelis outside the holy site, with several arrested for attempting to enter it.
Palestinians hold the Israeli government responsible for a "dangerous act", Mr Abbas was quoted as saying by spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina, AFP reports.
Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett told the BBC on Thursday that the holy site would reopen in time for Friday prayers "unless there are unusual events that take place over the next few hours".

Jerusalem's holiest site