Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 14-11-2016

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is backing a bill that will limit the volumes of Athan (calls to prayer) from masaajid a proposal government watchdog’s call a threat to religious freedom.

Netanyahu, who spoke as a ministerial committee says he would support such a move that some have labelled unnecessarily divisive.

Israeli media reported on Sunday the bill would stop the use of public address systems for calls to prayer.

Netanyahu says he has received a number of complaints about the Athaan.

“I cannot count the times – they are simply too numerous – that citizens have turned to me from all parts of Israeli society, from all religions, with complaints about the noise and suffering caused them by the excessive noise coming to them from the public address systems of houses of prayer.”

While the draft bill applies to all houses of worship, it is seen as specifically targeting masaajid.

Israel’s population is roughly 17.5 per cent Arab, most of them Muslim, and they accuse the Jewish majority of badly discriminating against them.

East Jerusalem is also mainly Palestinian and traditional calls to prayer by muezzins through PA systems can be heard in the city.

The Israel Democracy Institute, a non-partisan think tank, has spoken out against the proposal.

One of the watchdog’s officials accused Israel’s right-wing politicians of dangerously using the issue to gain political points under the guise of improving quality of life.

– AFP