Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled this week's bilateral talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying that he can't leave Israel due to the security situation.

This comes following a spate of recent attacks in the West Bank, including a number of stabbings on Wednesday.

The first incident involved the stabbing of a 36-year-old Israeli in his upper body on Wednesday morning by a 20-year-old female terrorist near the Lion's Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem.

The victim, who was moderately wounded and was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital, managed to shoot and neutralize his attacker. She was taken to Hadassah Ein-Karem hospital in serious condition.

According to Israeli police, the terrorist managed to pass through security before carrying out the attack.

Immediately after the attack, police evacuated Jews from the Temple Mount. Muslims who were there rushed to the scene of the attack, shouting and cursing, according to a group that was visiting the Mount.

Israel had restricted Palestinian access to the Mount and to the Old City for two days in the wake of last week's terror attacks in Jerusalem and surroundings that claimed the lives of four civilians. Wednesday's attack comes after police ended the ban earlier in the morning.

Also on Wednesday there were reports that a Palestinian was shot dead after stealing the weapon of Israeli soldier in Kiryat Gat. The IDF soldier said he was stabbed before the assailant stole his gun and ran to a nearby building where he was shot.

Another similar attack occurred in Petach Tikvah where a Palestinian was shot and held in custody after stabbing a number of people near a shopping mall. Multiple casualties were reported.