Clashes at holy site as Jewish holiday starts

New clashes broke out on Monday between Palestinians and Israeli police who stormed Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, as an expected increase in Jewish visitors to the site over the Sukkot holiday boosted tensions.

Police fired tear gas and stun grenades while young protesters who had pledged a day earlier to "defend" Al-Aqsa threw stones before barricading themselves inside the mosque itself, an AFP journalist said.

The young protesters had slept overnight at the mosque and also threw petrol bombs at security forces during the clashes which caused a small fire at the entrance to the building, police said.