Knesset preliminarily approves bill to restrict the call to prayer in Jerusalem and the West Bank

The Israeli Knesset, during a session held on Wednesday, approved a controversial bill to ban the call to prayer via loudspeakers in a preliminary reading. The draft law is scheduled to be referred to the relevant parliamentary committees for discussion and preparation, in preparation for its presentation for three additional readings in the coming weeks before it finally comes into effect.

The provisions of the new legislation, according to media sources, include imposing strict restrictions on the use of loudspeakers in mosques located within populated areas. The geographical scope of this ban extends to all cities and towns in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, representing a new escalation against the religious rituals of Palestinians.

The law primarily focuses on preventing the call to prayer during the night and early dawn hours, specifically from eleven at night until seven in the morning. This timing aims to directly restrict the dawn call to prayer, under the pretext of preventing noise in mixed residential areas or those close to settlements.

Deliberations revealed that the current version of the law is an amended version of previous proposals that had faced internal opposition. This technical amendment was made to ensure that Jewish rituals would not be affected, as ultra-Orthodox religious parties expressed concerns that the ban might include loudspeakers in synagogues that announce the beginning and end of the Sabbath.

By limiting the ban hours to the late night period, the government coalition succeeded in neutralizing the objections of religious parties, as the announcement of the Sabbath usually occurs at sunset. With this agreement, the Knesset proceeds with legislation that Palestinians view as a blatant assault on freedom of worship and religious heritage in the occupied territories.

The new bill stipulates the prevention and prohibition of using loudspeakers for the call to prayer in populated areas, with its application covering areas of the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem.