JERUSALEM -- A fiery Islamic leader called on his fellow Israeli Arabs and Muslims around the world Thursday to rise up in protest of Israeli construction work near a holy site in Jerusalem.
Fearing thousands might heed his call, Israeli police intensified security measures ahead of Friday Muslim prayers at the site, adding travel restrictions and plans to send a helicopter hovering overhead.
The dispute centers on Israel's decision to begin repair work on an earthen ramp leading to the hilltop compound known as the Temple Mount to Jews and as the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims. The centuries-old ramp was damaged in a 2004 snowstorm, and Israeli authorities promised that its plan to replace it would not damage the holy site, about 60 yards way.
But Muslim leaders began protesting the work as soon as it started Tuesday, and they called for wide-scale demonstrations Friday.
"The aggression happening now is a tragedy, a crime," Raed Salah, a leader of the Islamic Movement in Israel, told The Associated Press. He accused Israel of declaring "a regional, religious war."
The site, home to the golden-capped Dome of the Rock shrine and Al Aqsa mosque, is especially important to Palestinians and Israeli Arabs. Not only is it Islam's third-holiest site, from where they believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven, but it also is a focal point of their national pride.
The compound is also sacred to Jews as the site of their biblical temples.
Israel has controlled the contentious compound since the 1967 Mideast War, but has left its administration largely to the Jordanian-controlled trust known as the Waqf and to the Palestinians.
When fighting broke out between Israel and the Palestinians in 2000, Israeli restrictions prevented many Palestinians from the West Bank from praying at Al Aqsa. Salah began busing in Muslims from northern Israel to take their place, and his power at the site grew. He also has taken a lead in demonstrating against perceived Israeli violations at the site, and is known by many Palestinians as the "Sheik of Al Aqsa."
Salah called for a large demonstration in the Israeli Arab city of Nazareth on Friday, which he declared "Al Aqsa Day."
"This is the first step to get all the Palestinians inside Israel energized to participate in the protests," he said, adding that he hoped Muslims around the world would join.
Muslim leaders abroad have denounced the work near the site, and UNESCO called on Israel "to suspend any action that could endanger the spirit of mutual respect until such time as the will to dialogue prevails once again."
Al-Aqsa mosque is regarded as the third holiest Islamic site.
Violent clashes have broken out between Palestinians and Israeli police near the al-Aqsa Mosque and Temple Mount in Jerusalem, from controversy over Israeli construction near the site, which is holy to both Muslims and Jews.

The construction work reportedly is to repair a pedestrian bridge that leads to the Mugrabi Gate, the entrance to the mosque used by Palestinians, and runs over the Jewish Western Wall area of the complex.   The earthen ramp bridge leads to a hilltop compound known as the Temple Mount to Jews and as the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims.  The bridge collapsed in 2004 and was temporarily replaced with a wooden bridge which Israelis say is weakening and unsafe.  Israel has controlled the contentious compound since the 1967 Mideast War,

The construction involves excavation work and digging at the site, which Palestinian leaders contend is part of an attempt to dig under the mosque to find evidence of the Jewish Second Temple and/or to deliberately weaken the foundation of the mosque. Muslims dispute that the Temple was located at the site. Some artifacts have been salvaged from the digging work.

Temple Mount and the Western wall.
Israeli forces locked down Palestinian neighborhoods of Jerusalem in anticipation of backlashes from the construction. The Old Jerusalem city limits were blockaded, allowing only Palestinians over 45 years old from entering and only on foot. Palestinians from the West Bank were completely barred. Opponents have declared the blockades and the construction work a deliberate act to prevent Muslims from accessing the holy site. The mass of protesters at the site have in turn blocked Jewish access to the Western Wall.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas declared the construction and blockade as "hostile measures" against Muslims. Palestinian chief justice Tayssir al-Tamimi declared a "day of anger" and called on Palestinians to defend the mosque. 

Arab and Muslim countries including Jordan, Malaysia and Indonesia criticized Israel for the controversial work and urged it to halt construction. Israeli defense minister Amir Peretz also warned against starting construction. The leader of the Pakistan Muslim League urged Muslim countries to freeze diplomatic ties with Israel in protest of the work.

Around 150 Muslims were inside the mosque for morning prayers when the construction and blockade began. An Israeli Muslim journalist reported that the worshippers were unable to leave and received loud messages from Israeli loudspeakers.

The al-Aqsa mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, having once been the central point of prayer (qibla) for Muslims and allegedly the place where Muhammad ascended into heaven. Conventional Judaism believes it is also the historic site of the First and Second Temples, the holiest temple in Judaism, which is prophesised to be rebuilt ahead of the coming of the Messiah.

No deaths have been reported in the clashes, which simmered by evening.

Demonstrations also took place at mosques throughout the Muslim world, including Egypt and Jordan. Protests were expected later in the day in Nazareth.

The incident comes only a few days after rival Palestinian political factions, Hamas and Fatah, came to an agreement for a unity government aimed at restoring international support of Palestine and a return to Israeli negotiations.