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Palestinians have clashed with Israeli police in East Jerusalem amid increased tension over settlement building and the rededication of a synagogue. Palestinians burned tyres and threw rocks and police fired stun grenades as rioting broke out in a number of areas. The rioting follows Israel's plan to build 1,600 new East Jerusalem homes, angering the US. Its Mid-East envoy, George Mitchell, has delayed his visit. The reopening of a synagogue in the Old City also drew Palestinian protests. The clashes broke out in a number of areas, including Qalandia, the Shu'fat refugee camp, Wadi al-Jouz, al-Eisaweyah, Silwan, Ras al-Amoud and near the al-Aqsa mosque. The Israeli police said they had deployed 3,000 officers across the city. The clashes come amid a lingering US-Israel row over the settlement announcement. The announcement came during Vice-President Joe Biden's high-profile Middle East visit last week, aimed at trying to kick-start stalled peace talks. The US says it is still awaiting a "formal" response from Israel to the row and has urged Israel to show it is committed to Middle East peace efforts. Mr. Mitchell, who was to leave for the region on Monday, has now delayed his departure. The US Embassy in Israel has informed President Shimon Peres that Mr Mitchell will not be in Israel for the planned Tuesday afternoon meeting with Mr Peres. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has stood by Israel's settlements policy, saying there can be "no curbs" on Jewish building in Jerusalem. The BBC's Paul Wood in Jerusalem says there seems to be an impasse - if Mr Netanyahu caves in and cancels the new settlements, the stability of his government may be in doubt; if he does not, it is hard to see how the peace talks can take place. The reopening of the twice-destroyed Hurva synagogue close to the al-Aqsa mosque - Islam's third holiest site - has also inflamed tension. Hatem Abdel Qader, Jerusalem affairs spokesman for the Fatah movement of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said: "This synagogue will be a prelude to violence and religious fanaticism and extremism." Militant group Hamas had declared Tuesday a "day of rage" against the move. Thousands of people turned out in Gaza on Tuesday to protest against the rededication of the synagogue, Agence France-Presse news agency reports. Our correspondent says the call by some Palestinian officials for people to defend the Haram al-Sharif or Temple Mount, site of the al-Aqsa mosque, comes amid rumours of plans by Jewish extremists to take control of the area.