Despite the shouts in the stormy Knesset session on Wednesday, 10 Adar, the Muezzin Bill was passed in its preliminary reading. Arab MKs were vocal during the debate to put it mildly, after the bill was read aloud. Likud MK Yehuda Glick, a known opponent of the current version of the bill, absented himself from the plenum session.

The original version of the bill, to outlaw the mosque loudspeakers entirely, but there were fears this may lead to outlawing the pre-Shabbos candle lighting sirens which are heard in many cities and municipalities nationwide. As such, the amended bill outlaws the loudspeakers between 11:00PM to 7:00AM the following day.

Arab MK Ahmed Tibi made sure to remind chareidi MKs that every time they ask him to refrain from voting on a law because it involves religion he complies and now, they are supporting what he calls an “anti-religious bill”. Tibi was noticeably angry by the chareidi support for the bill which he and his colleagues oppose vehemently.

Opponents explain there is a law on the books that covers the muezzin and the loudspeakers and there is no need for a new law, but to simply improve enforcement by local authorities. Tibi added that passing the bill is a violation of Islamic religious ceremony and intolerable. He insists that nowhere do the loudspeakers pose an environmental threat.

Tibi called on Knesset colleagues to refrain from backing the bill. Arab List MK Ayman Odeh condemned the bill, adding “The is religious and Arab persecution as well as affront to the Arab presence and language. Chazal tell us we do not implement gezeiros that the tzibur cannot live by. We are law-abiding but there are gezeiros that we cannot live with. The first thing is enlistment in the IDF and the second thing is house demolitions as part of planned apartheid. The third gezeira is the Nakba Law and this is the fourth is this gezeira. The sound of the muezzin was heard before the decree and it will remain following the racist decree”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)