Hamas leader calls for another uprising

HUNDREDS of Palestinians clashed with Israeli security forces across east Jerusalem yesterday in the worst rioting in years as a senior Hamas leader called for a new “intifada,” or uprising.

As the unrest rocked Jerusalem, US Middle East envoy George Mitchell delayed a visit to the region amid the most severe diplomatic row in decades between Israel and the US, which has been struggling to revive peace talks. However, secretary of state Hillary Clinton denied US-Israeli relations were in crisis over the unrest.

Police fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas at protesters who hurled stones and set up barricades with rubbish skips and burning tyres in several neighbourhoods.