Palestinians have torched a Jewish holy site in the West Bank city of Nablus, amid soaring tensions with Israel, the BBC reports.

Rioters set fire to a tomb which Jews revere as that of the biblical figure Joseph. Firefighters put out the blaze but the site was badly damaged.

It came hours after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Palestinian leadership to stop a wave of attacks.

There have been near-daily stabbings by Palestinians of Israelis this month, as violence between the two sides spirals.

Seven Israelis have been killed and dozens wounded in stabbings and shootings. At least 30 Palestinians, including several of the attackers, have also been killed in the growing unrest.

The upsurge began last month when tensions at a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem revered by Jews and Muslims boiled over amid rumours Israel planned to relax long-standing rules to increase Jewish rights at the complex. Israel has repeatedly denied such claims.