Netanyahu vows to impose 'order' in Jerusalem

Israel vowed Sunday to restore order in Jerusalem after hundreds of Palestinian protesters were wounded, as a key court hearing on a flashpoint property dispute was postponed. 

The area around the revered Al-Aqsa mosque has seen several nights of violence, the worst since 2017, fuelled by a years-long bid by Jewish settlers to take over nearby Palestinian homes in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

Ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel "would decisively and responsibly impose law and order in Jerusalem".

Amid growing international calls for a de-escalation, Tunisia said the UN Security Council was to hold a closed-door meeting Monday, at its request, on the violence.

Some 121 Palestinians were wounded in Saturday's overnight clashes, many hit by rubber bullets and stun grenades, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

Israeli police said 17 of its officers were wounded.  

The previous night more than 220 people, again mostly Palestinians, were hurt as police stormed Al-Aqsa, saying Palestinians had thrown rocks and fireworks at officers.

Four Arab countries that normalised ties with Israel over the past year - the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan - all condemned Israel's actions and voiced support for the Palestinians.

In Jordan, which made peace with Israel in 1994, several hundred protesters in the capital Amman demanded the closure of the Israeli embassy. 

The UN children's agency UNICEF said that over two days, 29 Palestinian children had been injured in east Jerusalem, including a one-year-old.

Eight Palestinian children have been arrested, it said.

On Saturday night, thousands of Palestinians packed Al-Aqsa mosque compound for special Ramadan prayers at Islam's third-holiest site, which Jews revere as the Temple Mount.

Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel would maintain "freedom of worship for all religions".

But police set up roadblocks the previous night, saying they wanted to limit access to the Old City and avoid "violent riots" - effectively preventing hundreds from praying.

An AFP reported saw police stop at least one bus heading to east Jerusalem and detain some Palestinians, while hundreds of others marched on highways to the Holy City.

"They want to stop us from going to Al-Aqsa," said Ali al-Komani, 40, outside the holy site.