Separate decrees to prohibit mosques from using loudspeakers and limiting the number of calls to prayers have received initial support in the Israeli parliament amid intense opposition from Arab lawmakers.

Israel&#39;s attempt to muzzle mosques in the country has drawn condemnation from the Arab world and Islamic lawmakers in the country.

The controversial bills&nbsp;will have to go through three further readings before they are enshrined.

Although the bills do not directly mention mosques, it has proposed that all religious places of worship in East Jerusalem and the rest of the country will be disallowed from using loudspeakers in urban areas between 11 pm and 7 am. That means mosques will not be able to give the first call to prayer at dawn.

The bills passed 55-48 and 55-47 in the Knesset, or parliament.

They were approved amid vociferous protests from Arab lawmakers, some of whom tore copies of the bills to mark their protest. They eventually had to be ejected from the parliament.

Proponents of the bills say they are simply to prevent places of worship from disturbing residents in the vicinity.

Motti Yogev of the far-right Jewish Home, said the proposal was &quot;a social law that aims to enable people to sleep&quot;.

&quot;Loudspeakers have not been here forever, and in recent decades there are alarm clocks for whoever wants to wake up for the mosque,&quot; he said.

Ahmad Tibi of the predominantly Arab Joint List alliance of lawmakers called the measure &quot;a racist act&quot;.

&quot;This is an important Muslim religious ceremony, and (the Knesset) has never intervened in a Jewish religious event,&quot; he said.

But it is not just Arabs and Muslims who have lambasted the bills.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin previously spoke against the move.

Government watchdog groups have called the measure an unnecessary provocation that threatens freedom of religion.

At Wednesday&#39;s debate, Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin said the new law was necessary since the existing rules set a low fine that causes police to disregard noise violations.

The new proposed law sets a fine of 10,000 shekels ($2,714, 2,573 euros) to transgressors.

In Jordan, the official custodian of Muslim holy sites in annexed east Jerusalem, Information Minister Mohamed Momani condemned the bills as &quot;discriminatory&quot;.

They were contrary to &quot;Israeli commitments under the peace accord&quot; that the Jewish state signed with Jordan in 1994, he said, quoted by the official news agency Petra.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Israel's attempt to muzzle mosques in the country has drawn condemnation from the Arab world and Islamic lawmakers in the country

Separate decrees to prohibit mosques from using loudspeakers and limiting the number of calls to prayers have received initial support in the Israeli parliament amid intense opposition from Arab lawmakers. Israel's attempt to muzzle mosques in the country has drawn condemnation from the Arab world and Islamic lawmakers in the country. The controversial bills will have to go through three further readings before they are enshrined. Although the bills do not directly mention mosques, it has proposed that all religious places of worship in East Jerusalem and the rest of the country will be disallowed from using loudspeakers in urban areas between 11 pm and 7 am. That means mosques will not be able to give the first call to prayer at dawn. The bills passed 55-48 and 55-47 in the Knesset, or parliament. They were approved amid vociferous protests from Arab lawmakers, some of whom tore copies of the bills to mark their protest. They eventually had to be ejected from the parliament. Proponents of the bills say they are simply to prevent places of worship from disturbing residents in the vicinity. Motti Yogev of the far-right Jewish Home, said the proposal was "a social law that aims to enable people to sleep". "Loudspeakers have not been here forever, and in recent decades there are alarm clocks for whoever wants to wake up for the mosque," he said. Ahmad Tibi of the predominantly Arab Joint List alliance of lawmakers called the measure "a racist act". "This is an important Muslim religious ceremony, and (the Knesset) has never intervened in a Jewish religious event," he said. But it is not just Arabs and Muslims who have lambasted the bills. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin previously spoke against the move. Government watchdog groups have called the measure an unnecessary provocation that threatens freedom of religion. At Wednesday's debate, Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin said the new law was necessary since the existing rules set a low fine that causes police to disregard noise violations. The new proposed law sets a fine of 10,000 shekels ($2,714, 2,573 euros) to transgressors. In Jordan, the official custodian of Muslim holy sites in annexed east Jerusalem, Information Minister Mohamed Momani condemned the bills as "discriminatory". They were contrary to "Israeli commitments under the peace accord" that the Jewish state signed with Jordan in 1994, he said, quoted by the official news agency Petra. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Israeli parliament gives initial nod to silence mosques

It is 4:30 am and Mufeed Shawana is rushing to Al-Aqsa Mosque, as the first Muslim call to prayer of the day rings out across the Old City of east Jerusalem.

But he stops short when asked how he feels that the sound echoing from the minarets could soon be dampened.

&quot;It upsets me. The calls to prayer have happened for 1,400 years.&quot;

A bill backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ban mosques around Israel and annexed east Jerusalem from using loudspeakers to amplify late night and early morning azans, or calls to prayers, has been approved by a ministerial committee ahead of a parliamentary debate and voting.

It has been temporarily blocked but the government is still confident of pushing it through.

Shawana argues that nobody would deny Jews their own religious rituals, which are &quot;their right&quot;.

&quot;This is our right,&quot; he adds, before disappearing inside the mosque to pray.

The dispute around high-decibel minarets is not unique to Israel, which argues that other states, including in Europe and North Africa, have similar restrictions to those it is looking to implement.

But it has touched a raw nerve in Israel, where many in its minority Arab population -- around 17.5 per cent of the whole and overwhelmingly Muslim -- believe Netanyahu&#39;s rightwing government is systematically persecuting them.

They also worry that their connection to Al-Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam, is under threat.

Large numbers of Israeli Jews view the azans as noise pollution, with the bill&#39;s sponsor Motti Yogev, of the far-right Jewish Home party, arguing they disturb the peace of hundreds of thousands of people.

He has also claimed that in some cases they are used by religious leaders to incite against Israel.

In its current draft, the law would prevent the summons to worshippers between 11:00 pm until 6:00 am from being relayed on loudspeakers.

Palestinians and Arab Israelis have organised protests against the ban, with an Arab Israeli MP performing the azan in Israel&#39;s parliament to the fury of some of his Jewish colleagues.

Government watchdogs call the bill a threat to religious freedom and the Arab League has termed it &quot;a very dangerous provocation&quot;.

Arab Israelis, who largely identify as Palestinians, are the descendants of Palestinians who remained on their land after the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.

&#39;Terrible noise&#39;&nbsp;

Beit Safafa in southern Jerusalem is an Arab village flanked by Jewish neighbourhoods, including the area of Pat, a few hundred metres (yards) away.

In a passionate sermon at Beit Safafa&#39;s mosque, Najih Qiraat, a religious leader from Al-Aqsa visiting for the weekly Friday prayers, railed against the Israeli plans.

&quot;It is very clear the Israeli occupation with this law, or the attempt at this law, wants to Judaise the city. They don&#39;t want to hear Arabic prayers in the city, they don&#39;t want to see churches in the city,&quot; he later told AFP.

&quot;The prayers represent a racket but the Israeli Jewish celebrations, celebrations at night you hear until dawn, they don&#39;t represent a racket?&quot; he asked.

For Israelis in Pat, turning the volume down is only fair and they accuse the Palestinians of being unreasonable.

&quot;We are a Jewish neighbourhood next to an Arab village -- the noise is terrible. I have a little kid who cannot sleep,&quot; said Ayelet Sadeh, 42.

Just like Qiraat and Shawana, she sees calculated malice rather than cultural misunderstanding behind the actions of the other side.

She points to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, when life in Israel grinds to a standstill for a day, as an example &nbsp;-- pointing out Muslim prayers also continue on that day.

&quot;Sometimes,&quot; she said, &quot;it feels like they are doing (it out of) spite.&quot;

Al-Aqsa

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman of the ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism blocked the bill as he was worried it would silence the weekly siren alerting Jews to the start of the Sabbath, or holy day.

An Israeli official told AFP the authorities were confident they&#39;d find a way to pass the bill &quot;while protecting religious freedom for all and the right of all to be free from excessive noise&quot;.

There are more than 400 mosques in the country, including east Jerusalem, according to Israeli government figures, and implementing any law could be tough.

&quot;Forbidden fruit is sweet,&quot; Qiraat said, suggesting Muslims would organise loud prayer calls from homes.

&quot;If they ban the prayers, every house will become a prayer house -- every house will pray, every person,&quot; he said.

&quot;Day and night, until the occupation understands they cannot interfere in religious issues.&quot;

(AFP)

The move has caused Israel's minority Arab population to believe Netanyahu's rightwing government is systematically persecuting them

It is 4:30 am and Mufeed Shawana is rushing to Al-Aqsa Mosque, as the first Muslim call to prayer of the day rings out across the Old City of east Jerusalem. But he stops short when asked how he feels that the sound echoing from the minarets could soon be dampened. "It upsets me. The calls to prayer have happened for 1,400 years." A bill backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ban mosques around Israel and annexed east Jerusalem from using loudspeakers to amplify late night and early morning azans, or calls to prayers, has been approved by a ministerial committee ahead of a parliamentary debate and voting. It has been temporarily blocked but the government is still confident of pushing it through. Shawana argues that nobody would deny Jews their own religious rituals, which are "their right". "This is our right," he adds, before disappearing inside the mosque to pray. The dispute around high-decibel minarets is not unique to Israel, which argues that other states, including in Europe and North Africa, have similar restrictions to those it is looking to implement. But it has touched a raw nerve in Israel, where many in its minority Arab population -- around 17.5 per cent of the whole and overwhelmingly Muslim -- believe Netanyahu's rightwing government is systematically persecuting them. They also worry that their connection to Al-Aqsa, the third holiest site in Islam, is under threat. Large numbers of Israeli Jews view the azans as noise pollution, with the bill's sponsor Motti Yogev, of the far-right Jewish Home party, arguing they disturb the peace of hundreds of thousands of people. He has also claimed that in some cases they are used by religious leaders to incite against Israel. In its current draft, the law would prevent the summons to worshippers between 11:00 pm until 6:00 am from being relayed on loudspeakers. Palestinians and Arab Israelis have organised protests against the ban, with an Arab Israeli MP performing the azan in Israel's parliament to the fury of some of his Jewish colleagues. Government watchdogs call the bill a threat to religious freedom and the Arab League has termed it "a very dangerous provocation". Arab Israelis, who largely identify as Palestinians, are the descendants of Palestinians who remained on their land after the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. 'Terrible noise' Beit Safafa in southern Jerusalem is an Arab village flanked by Jewish neighbourhoods, including the area of Pat, a few hundred metres (yards) away. In a passionate sermon at Beit Safafa's mosque, Najih Qiraat, a religious leader from Al-Aqsa visiting for the weekly Friday prayers, railed against the Israeli plans. "It is very clear the Israeli occupation with this law, or the attempt at this law, wants to Judaise the city. They don't want to hear Arabic prayers in the city, they don't want to see churches in the city," he later told AFP. "The prayers represent a racket but the Israeli Jewish celebrations, celebrations at night you hear until dawn, they don't represent a racket?" he asked. For Israelis in Pat, turning the volume down is only fair and they accuse the Palestinians of being unreasonable. "We are a Jewish neighbourhood next to an Arab village -- the noise is terrible. I have a little kid who cannot sleep," said Ayelet Sadeh, 42. Just like Qiraat and Shawana, she sees calculated malice rather than cultural misunderstanding behind the actions of the other side. She points to the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, when life in Israel grinds to a standstill for a day, as an example -- pointing out Muslim prayers also continue on that day. "Sometimes," she said, "it feels like they are doing (it out of) spite." Al-Aqsa Health Minister Yaakov Litzman of the ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism blocked the bill as he was worried it would silence the weekly siren alerting Jews to the start of the Sabbath, or holy day. An Israeli official told AFP the authorities were confident they'd find a way to pass the bill "while protecting religious freedom for all and the right of all to be free from excessive noise". There are more than 400 mosques in the country, including east Jerusalem, according to Israeli government figures, and implementing any law could be tough. "Forbidden fruit is sweet," Qiraat said, suggesting Muslims would organise loud prayer calls from homes. "If they ban the prayers, every house will become a prayer house -- every house will pray, every person," he said. "Day and night, until the occupation understands they cannot interfere in religious issues." (AFP)

Bid to quieten Muslim call to prayer amplifies Israel tensions

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Israeli parliament gives initial nod to silence mosques

Bid to quieten Muslim call to prayer amplifies Israel tensions