The increasing violence between Israelis and Palestinians is a crucial test for Israel's eight-party coalition.

After two days of clashes around the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Arab Raam Party threatened on Sunday evening that it would withdraw from Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's coalition government if the government continued its crackdown on Palestinian demonstrators.

At least 170 people, mostly Palestinians, have been injured in the clashes since Friday.

The situation in Jerusalem's old town has been particularly tense in recent days because the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan, coincides with the Jewish Passover and the Christian Easter this year.

After violent clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli security forces, in which more than 150 people were injured on Friday, both sides fought again on Sunday.

According to the Israeli police, hundreds of Palestinians tried to block a visit by religious Jews in the square in front of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Sunday morning.

When they started piling up stones, the security forces intervened.

Later, several Jewish believers left the square under police protection.

According to the Red Crescent, 19 Palestinians were injured on Sunday morning, some of them by security forces' rubber bullets.

Knesset recess buys Bennett time

The Temple Mount is sacred to all three religions.

Jewish believers pray there at the Wailing Wall.

They are allowed to visit the square in front of the Al-Aqsa Mosque at certain times, but not to pray there.

In another incident in Israel-annexed East Jerusalem, young Palestinians threw stones at passing Israeli buses.

Seven people were slightly injured, the police reported the arrest of 18 Palestinians.

Prime Minister Bennett said the security forces "continue to have a free hand" to "ensure the security of the citizens of Israel."

At the same time, he emphasized that members of all religions must be able to practice their faith freely in Jerusalem.

After the renewed violence, the Arab Raam party announced that it would suspend its participation in the coalition.

If the government continues its "arbitrary measures" at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, it will "leave the alliance as one".

The party's threat has no immediate effect as the Knesset is on hiatus until early May.

As reported by government circles, Bennett wants to try to smooth things over until then.

If he fails and the Raam party leaves the coalition, the opposition could initiate a vote of no confidence in him.

Since June, Bennett has been at the head of a coalition government whose eight parties come from all political camps - and in which, with the Raam party, an Arab party is represented for the first time.

Last week, the coalition lost its razor-thin majority in parliament after the resignation of a member of Bennett's Jamina party.

Like the opposition, the alliance now has 60 seats in the Knesset.

The Raam party has four MPs.

The opposition Likud party of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday evening called on all right-wing MPs to leave the coalition and form a new "government of the right" with Jewish Orthodox and far-right parties.

"If Jews can no longer safely walk through Jerusalem on Passover," all MPs must be clear, "that this government is finished," she explained.

Jordan, which administers the holy Islamic sites on the Temple Mount, blamed Israel for the renewed escalation of violence.

King Abdullah II called on Israel to refrain from "all illegal and provocative measures" that could further aggravate the situation.

In his Easter message, Pope Francis called for "free access to the Holy Places, with mutual respect for the rights of each individual".