Israel argues that the cave, where the Jewish forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are buried, is one of the most sacred sites and should be marked for preservation and restoration.

But Palestinians believe that the cave is part of their future state.

In a Palestinian solidarity gesture, prime minister Salaam Fayyad prayed at the Ibrahimi mosque, which is part of the Cave of the Patriarchs complex.

Rain fell in Hebron on Sunday, but did not wash out the festivities as Jews celebrated the Purim holiday.

Otherwise, the city enjoyed a relatively quiet day. Children and adults dressed in costume held their annual "until you do not know" (ad sheh lo yada) parade, in which they traditionally march through different areas of the city.

This year they went from the nearby settlement of Kiryat Arbato to the cave to protest at the Israeli army's decision to open it to the vehicular traffic of 80 Palestinian families living alongside it.

Members of Hebron's Jewish community and their supporters then gathered in the community centre near the cave for the annual Purim meal.

Outside, soldiers stood guard and extra patrols marched by. Inside some soldiers joined Hebron residents in eating and dancing.

Some of the costumes had a modern twist - Shalom Levi, of Hebron, was dressed as the Dubai police chief.

Jerusalem's Old City erupted in violence on Sunday when clashes between Arabs and security forces broke out on the Temple Mount. The rioters were protesting at the inclusion of the Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb on the list of heritage sights.