Israeli ministerial committee has issued new draft of “muezzin bill” which aims silencing mosques.
Israel’s new draft on muezzin bill to muffle mosques
13 Feb 2017 - 8:23
Israeli ministerial committee has issued new draft of “muezzin bill” which aims silencing mosques.
On Sunday, the committee released a statement which said the "bill for prevention of noise from public address systems in houses of prayer" had been “passed” without giving further information.
The draft legislation is expected to be discussed before the Israeli parliament on Wednesday. If passed, it will be returned to the committee for a second and third reading.
Despite the bill making no mention of any specific religion, it has become known as the “muezzin bill or law" as it blocks the traditional Muslim call to prayer that is broadcast through speakers mounted on the mosques' minarets.
A former version of the bill was rejected because it would have also blocked the siren broadcast in Jewish regions at sunset on Fridays.
The new version prohibits the playing of amplified sounds from 11:00 pm local time to 7:00 am, a period which encompasses the first of Islam’s five daily calls to prayer.
"This law does not deal with noise nor with quality of life, just with racist incitement against a national minority," said Palestinian MP Ayman Odeh. "The voice of the muezzin was heard here long before the racists of the (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and will after them."
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