National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir proposes comprehensive ban on use of loudspeakers at Israeli mosques for five daily calls to prayer.By David Rosenberg, World Israel NewsMembers of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition have introduced legislation to the Knesset which, if passed, would impose a sweeping ban on the use of loudspeakers to broadcast the five daily Muslim calls to prayer.On Sunday, the Otzma Yehudit party announced that two faction members, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Knesset National Security Committee Chairman MK Zvika Fogel, are advancing legislation to significantly restrict the use of loudspeakers or public announcement equipment at Israeli mosques.According to Islamic tradition, a muezzin is required to call local Muslims to prayer from each mosque’s minaret for the five daily prayer services, including the Fajr, or dawn prayer, and the Isha, or nighttime prayer.The use of loudspeakers to broadcast the calls to prayer late at night and early in the morning have for decades drawn criticism from non-Muslim residents of mixed cities, including Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Haifa, and from residents of towns adjacent to Muslim communities.While right-wing parties have for years attempted to pass bills limiting the use of loudspeakers at mosques, or fining mosques which violate existing noise pollution laws, ultra-Orthodox parties have repeatedly sided with Arab lawmakers, helping to vote down the proposals.Under existing Israeli law, loud noises are prohibited from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., banning the use of public announcement systems to broadcast calls to prayer during those hours.However, Israeli police have rarely enforced this law against mosques.Police have sporadically cracked down on the nighttime use of loudspeakers at mosques since Ben-Gvir took office, though enforcement remains inconsistent.The new bill proposed by Ben-Gvir and MK Fogel would bar the use of loudspeakers at houses of worship, prohibiting mosques from operating any such systems without a permit.Under the proposal, permit applications would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to assess the impact of loudspeakers based on the house of worship’s location, ambient noise level, and the likely impact on residents of the surrounding area.Furthermore, the bill would grant police wide-reaching authority to shut down the unauthorized use of loudspeakers at houses of worship and to confiscate the equipment without a court order.Violators will face fines of 50,000 shekels ($15,660) for using loudspeakers at a house of worship without a permit, and 10,000 shekels ($3,130) for violating the conditions of a permit.A dedicated enforcement mechanism will be established to ensure compliance with the new regulations.The authors of the bill argued that the campaign against the use of loudspeakers for the muezzin call to prayer is not a religious issue, but a quality of life and public health matter.“In many places, the noise of the muezzin is unreasonable noise that harms residents’ quality of life and health. This is a phenomenon that cannot be accepted. The Israel Police will act decisively to enforce the law, and this bill gives it the missing tools,” said Minister Ben-Gvir.Fogel lamented the “excessive volumes” often used by mosque loudspeakers, calling it a “violation of public health and quality of life.”“It is unacceptable for residents to continue suffering from systematic violations of the law. That is why I submitted this bill—to enable firm, clear, and determined handling of the phenomenon.” The post Knesset mulls broad ban on mosque loudspeakers appeared first on World Israel News.