The Jerusalem police will raise the alert level at the Temple Mount Sunday morning in response to calls made by Muslim leaders on Israel's Muslim population to stage a demonstration at the site in protest of planned construction work on one of the main entrances to the Temple Mount.

The leader of the Islamic Movement's northern branch, Ra'ad Salah, and the head of Jerusalem Supreme Muslim Council, Sheikh Ikrama Sabri called on the Muslim residents of Jerusalem, and Israel, to arrive at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and protest Israel's plan, according to them, to destroy the Mugrabi Gate, one of the gates in the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, in order to build a bridge.

The Police issued an announcement Saturday that the entrance to the Temple Mount will be limited to Muslim men over 45 years of age. The site will be closed to tourists and visitors. In addition, the police announced that it would patrol the Old City and at the Temple Mount in particular.

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Salah maintained that the construction is slated to begin on Sunday. A Saudi-based body of Islamic scholars condemned Israel's construction plans on Saturday, saying it was a "blatant violation" of the shrine's sanctity.

Salah's northern branch of the Islamic Movement published an announcement saying the construction would damage the western part of the fence surrounding the mosque, and would facilitate future attacks on the mosque.

Sabri described the plans as "a crime and attack on the Muslim Waqf and on the Al-Aqsa Mosque." He called on all Arab nations to intervene and prevent the damaging of the mosque.

The Islamic Movement explained that the construction plan was meant to be carried out several years ago, but Israel waited for the right moment to begin work due to, among other considerations, the tensions in the Palestinian Authority.