Israeli forces seal off occupied East Jerusalem

Israel began setting up checkpoints in Palestinian areas of annexed East Jerusalem on Wednesday as it struggled to stop a wave of attacks that have raised fears of a full-scale uprising.

A police spokeswoman said checkpoints were being set up at "the exits of Palestinian villages and neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem".

The military's deployment of six companies marks the first implementation of measures by Israel's security cabinet to counter the attacks that have intensified dramatically in recent days.

The cabinet met late into the night and announced steps early Wednesday that included allowing police to seal off points of friction or incitement.

The cabinet also decided to strip residency rights and demolish homes of some attackers and draft hundreds more security guards to secure public transport.

Israeli police said 300 soldiers had already been incorporated into their deployment on the streets.

Also Wednesday, Israel's internal security minister said the bodies of dead Palestinian attackers should not be returned to their families for burial.

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Wave of attacks

Nearly 30 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces so far. The Red Crescent said that around 1,021 Palestinians have been wounded by live fire and rubber bullets since October 3.

A gun-and-knife attack on a Jerusalem bus on Tuesday killed two people, while a third Israeli was killed on Tuesday when a Palestinian attacker allegedly rammed his car into pedestrians, then exited with a knife.

All three attackers in the two incidents were from East Jerusalem.

The upsurge in violence that began on October 1 has led some to warn of the risk of a third Palestinian intifada, or uprising.

Frustrated Palestinian youths have defied efforts by Israel and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to restore calm.