Palestinian President Abbas freezes contact with Israel

Palestianian President Mahmoud Abbas is freezing contact with Israel after at least three Palestinians were killed in a dispute over contested shrine.

The leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), which controls the West Bank, made the announcement during a meeting late on Friday with senior Palestinian officials to discuss the growing escalation over the Temple Mount.

It was not immediately clear if this means the Palestinians are halting their long-standing security coordination with Israel.

Three Palestinians were killed and dozens taken to hospital in clashes in Jerusalem and the West Bank earlier Friday.

The protests were triggered by Israel's installation of metal detectors at the shrine, revered by Muslims and Jews.

Muslim leaders allege Israel is trying to encroach on Muslim rights at the shrine, a claim Israel denies.

Israel installed the metal detectors after a deadly attack by Arab gunmen who killed two Israeli policemen.

Mr Abbas called White House adviser Jared Kushner, who has been tasked with attempting to broker peace between the two sides by his father-in-law Donald Trump, to ask the US to pressure Israel into removing the metal detectors, The Times of Israel reported.

It comes as Israel police say three people have been stabbed in the latest clashes in the West Bank.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said it had treated 193 injured people across Jerusalem on the West Bank so far on Friday, warning of “foreseen tensions and potential clashes”.

Thousands of Muslims had prayed in the streets surrounding the holy site known as Temple Mount by Jews and Haram al-Sharif by Muslims in the Old City.

Earlier on Friday, Israeli police announced all Muslim men under the age of 50 would be banned from Friday prayers at the al-Asqa mosque on the site.

Muslim leaders had called for mass protests over the increased security at the site as they say Israel is trying to expand its control there by installing security devices.

Additional reporting by agencies