The Israeli government approved a series of security measures to stem a surge of Palestinian attacks, including the potential sealing of Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem and easier access to guns.
"These are legitimate instruments of a democracy defending itself, using proportionality, using restraint," Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold said at a news conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday.
The Palestinian Authority warned that the steps would lead to a further escalation of violence. Other measures include deploying army troops in cities to reinforce police, adding security guards to Jerusalem buses, and confiscating property from attackers' families.