Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Tel Aviv of perpetrating a "declaration of war" today after Israeli occupation authorities closed off all access to the al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem.

"Jerusalem and its Muslim and Christian holy sites are a red line that must not be touched," he said.

Israel's decision to close access to the Haram ash-Sharif site, known also as the Temple on the Mount, followed the wounding of US-born zionist extremist Yehuda Glick outside a conference demanding greater Jewish access to the holy site.

"This unprecedented decision is dangerous and challenging, will lead to further escalation and instability and will create a dangerous and negative atmosphere," said Mr Abbas.

Mr Glick often leads provocative visits by groups of Jews, accompanied by security forces, to the site, insisting that they be allowed to pray there.

The Israeli authorities currently prohibit Jews from doing so, remembering that the last Palestinian uprising (Intifada) against Israeli rule followed opposition leader Ariel Sharon's aggressive incursion onto the site in September 2000.

His provocative act led to the military occupiers' closure of the site.

Jerusalem has seen frequent clashes recently between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police, particularly around the holy site.

This culminated on Wednesday in a gunman on a motorcycle shooting and seriously wounding Mr Glick.

Having approached him and confirming his identity, the man is said to have opened fire at close range, shooting Mr Glick three times before fleeing the scene.

Mr Glick remains in hospital in a serious condition.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that officers had surrounded the home in East Jerusalem of suspect Moataz Hijazi early yesterday, returning fire and killing him.

Clashes broke out, with Palestinians hurling stones at the riot police, who set up roadblocks to control access in and out of the neighbourhood.

Israel accuses Mr Abbas of inciting recent violence, ignoring its own pursuit of illegal colonisation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon reiterated such accusations again yesterday, charging: "When Abu Mazen (Mr Abbas) spreads lies and venom about the rights of Jews to worship in their land, the result is terror, as we saw yesterday."