Israel lifts West Bank closure

Israel lifted its closure of the West Bank and granted open access to Jerusalem's holiest shrine on Wednesday, a day after some of the worst violence in the area in months.

Thousands of Israeli security forces remain on alert in the area,

WhileJerusalem was calm, there were reports of someclashes in the West Bank. In the northern city of Nablus, dozens of Palestinian youths threwrocks at Israeli security personnel. Israeli troops responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Two Palestinians were reported wounded.

On Tuesday, hundreds of Palestinians hurled rocks at Israeli police, and set trash bins and tires on fire. The riot police responded with stun grenades and tear gas.

The violence came after Israel announced plans last week to construct 1,600 apartments units in east Jerusalem

The building announcement came on the same day that U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden had been in Israel, touching off a diplomatic squabble between the U.S. and Israel that was described as the worst in decades.

The U.S. demanded the cancellation of the building project, which the Israelis refused to do.

However, efforts are now underway to repair the diplomatic damage. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday.

In addition to helping repair U.S.-Israeli relations, the phone call may help get fragile Middle East peace talks that have been stalled for a year back on track.