It was a visit to the mosque compound by right-wing Israeli leader Ariel Sharon which provoked the latest upsurge of the conflict, and the clashes which followed the prayers two weeks ago which brought the first deaths. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has invited Mr Sharon to join a national emergency government, a move which a BBC correspondent in Jerusalem describes as a huge provocation to Palestinians. It comes after Israeli helicopter gunships carried out further attacks in the West Bank on Thursday night, firing rockets at a Palestinian police academy in Jericho after a synagogue in the town was set on fire by Palestinians. Israeli troops are searching all those entering the mosque, and turning away men under 45 years old.
Correspondents say the West Bank has also been sealed off.
International intervention Early on Friday, Mr Barak called a meeting with Mr Sharon to discuss the security situation, but the leader of the Likud party has made no public response to the offer to join the government. The United Nations has expressed its grave concern about the escalation in the crisis, but rejected a Palestinian request for an emergency meeting of the Security Council. The Palestinian Authority had demanded that the UN condemn Israel over rocket attacks in the Gaza and West Bank on Thursday. The Palestinians say Israel's move was a de facto declaration of war, and appealed for international intervention. Israel launched the air raids after two of its soldiers were killed by a mob in the Palestinian town of Ramallah.