Weekly Muslim prayers at Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque passed peacefully today despite tensions in the Holy City, but Palestinians later wounded two Jews as they walked to worship not far away.
And in the West bank city of Hebron, stone-throwing Palestinians rioted, responding to a call by the militant Islamist Hamas for a "day of rage."
After Israel dropped age restrictions for attending Friday prayers for the second week running, tens of thousands of people made their way to the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied Arab east Jerusalem.
Police were out in force to prevent a repeat of clashes, led by young Palestinians, that have rocked the city for months.
Men and women of all ages shuffled into the compound, holy to both Jews and Muslims, as police carefully checked the identity cards of younger worshippers.
But after dark, a few hundred metres (yards) away, Palestinians attacked seven Israelis on their way to Sabbath eve prayers, lightly injuring two of them following an exchange of insults.
"A group of Jewish worshippers were attacked as they walked...To Beit Horot," police said, referring to a Jewish seminary set up on the Mount of Olives by ultranationalist rabbi Benny Elon in 1999.
One man was stabbed in the back and the second hit with a blunt instrument, apparently an iron bar.
The Palestinians have been infuriated by a far-right Jewish campaign for prayer rights at the compound that threatens an ultra-sensitive, decades-old status quo under which Jews may visit but not pray.
Police had tried to preempt unrest by limiting male entry to those over 35, but Israel eased the restrictions last week as part of steps aimed at reducing tensions.
