PA Minister of Religious Affairs: Proposed Israeli law regulating noise is “racist” which will lead to “religious war for the entire region”
“[PA] Minister of Religious Affairs Sheikh Yusuf Ida’is condemned the approval of the law to ban sounding the call of the Muezzin (i.e., the person who sings the Muslim call to prayer) by what is called the Ministerial Committee for Legislation in the Israeli government (sic., the law, which does not specify any religion, was approved in its first reading by the Israeli Parliament on March 8, 2017; the Ministerial Committee authorized it on Feb. 12, 2017). He said that this law expresses racism that has strays beyond the political dimensions into religious dimensions, which herald a religious war for the entire region due to a blow to the freedom of belief.”
On Feb. 12, 2017, a bill to ban religious institutions from broadcasting over loudspeakers between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. was authorized by the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation and is now pending parliamentary approval. The bill is intended to prevent noise pollution and is referred to by many as the "Muezzin Law," although it does not apply to any specific religion.
Other countries have already approved or attempted legislation for regulating the use of loudspeakers in mosques in order to limit noise pollution. These include India, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Bahrain, the United Emirates, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, the UK, Austria, Norway, and Belgium, and the US. The PA has also passed legislation regarding the use of loudspeakers in mosques in order to reduce noise pollution.
On Feb. 12, 2017, a bill to ban religious institutions from broadcasting over loudspeakers between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. was authorized by the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation and is now pending parliamentary approval. The bill is intended to prevent noise pollution and is referred to by many as the "Muezzin Law," although it does not apply to any specific religion.
Other countries have already approved or attempted legislation for regulating the use of loudspeakers in mosques in order to limit noise pollution. These include India, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Bahrain, the United Emirates, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, the UK, Austria, Norway, and Belgium, and the US. The PA has also passed legislation regarding the use of loudspeakers in mosques in order to reduce noise pollution.