Tel Aviv  - Dozens of radical Jewish settlers clashed again with Israeli police and soldiers in the southern West Bank city of Hebron Wednesday evening.

Police Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police forces used stun grenades against some 40 rioters who had gathered in an area around a disputed house, despite it having been declared a "closed military zone."

He said another seven settlers were taken in for questioning.

In total, more than two dozen settlers were arrested throughout Wednesday, including a youth who had hit an Israeli police officer Tuesday. Police plan to ask a court to extend the remand of some 10 of those arrested.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak was scheduled to meet local settler leaders in a bid to calm down tempers.

The heightened tensions in the divided city first erupted two weeks ago, when Israel's supreme court ordered the Israeli government to evacuate what has become known in the Israeli media as the "House of Contention" until a lower court rules who its rightful owner is.

Hundreds of hardline Israelis and settlers have since arrived to "protect" the house, which has been occupied by settlers since early 2007. The settlers say they bought the building while its Palestinian owner denies this. (dpa)