Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas accused Israel of escalating tensions as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced new security measures in response to rioting and a deadly stabbing, a statement said Monday.

"The Israeli side and its government have an interest in dragging things into a cycle of violence and are trying through escalation at Al-Aqsa (mosque compound) and settler attacks to escape their political impasse and international isolation," said the statement from Abbas's office, its first reaction since a recent spike in unrest.