Hundreds of Palestinians clashed with Israeli security forces across east Jerusalem on Tuesday in the worst rioting in years as a senior Hamas leader called for a new "intifada," or uprising.

As the unrest rocked Jerusalem, US Middle East envoy George Mitchell delayed a visit to the region amid the most severe diplomatic row in decades between Israel and the United States, which has been struggling to revive peace talks.

Israeli soldiers run across a street as they clash with Palestinian youths (background) at the the Qalandia checkpoint between the West Bank city of Ramallah and Jerusalem. Credit:AFP

Police fired rubber bullets, stun grenades and tear gas at protesters who hurled stones and set up barricades with dumpsters and burning tyres in several neighbourhoods.

In at least one neighbourhood undercover Israeli police officers disguised as protesters wrestled demonstrators to the ground and handcuffed them.