Health Minister Yaakov Litzman on Tuesday evening 14 Cheshvan challenged the Ministerial Law Committee’s support of the Muezzin Bill which seeks to place a maximum volume on loudspeakers issuing a call to prayer in mosques.

Litzman feels if the bill is passed in its current wording, it might prevent sounding the sirens heard in so many cities around the country on erev Shabbos and Yomtov. As a result of Litzman’s objections, the bill was not brought for a vote in Knesset on Wednesday, 15 Cheshvan as planned despite being backed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Prior to Litzman vocalizing his objections, Meretz MK Esawi Frej expressed his objections to the bill with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein. Frej wants to see the establishment of a committee composed of public representatives to address the matter rather than passing a law.

Frej’s request is backed by a number of MKs including Nachman Shai (Machane Tzioni), Yossi Yonah (Machane Tzioni), Michal Rozin (Meretz), Shelly Yacimovich (Machane Tzioni) and Yaakov Margi (Shas).

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)