Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir returned to the forefront of controversy, after he published a video clip in which he pledged to work to stop what he described as “mosque noise,” coinciding with the re-introduction of a draft law aimed at restricting the call to prayer over loudspeakers in the Palestinian territories.
Ben Gvir’s position came as the draft law, prepared by the “Jewish Power” party led by the Israeli minister, entered the stage of parliamentary discussion, after it passed the relevant committee on May 31.
The project stipulates imposing severe restrictions on the use of loudspeaker systems in mosques, preventing their installation or operation without prior permission from the Israeli authorities, and imposing large financial fines on violators that may reach 50,000 shekels, or about 17,500 US dollars.
In the video that he posted on his accounts on social media platforms, Ben Gvir appeared in a dramatic scene suggesting that he was trying to sleep before waking up to the sound of the call to prayer, pledging to reduce the sounds coming from the mosques, and declaring that he would work to stop what he called “the noise coming from the mosques.”
According to the terms of the project, granting permits to use loudspeakers will be subject to standards related to the permissible sound level and the proximity of the mosque to residential areas, which opens the door to tightening control over the call to prayer in a number of areas.
Ben Gvir’s move comes in the context of a renewed political campaign targeting the call to prayer, which has previously raised widespread Palestinian objections and warnings against compromising freedom of worship and religious rights. The re-presentation of the project also reflects escalating trends within the Israeli government towards imposing additional restrictions on the religious and daily life of Palestinians.
This file bears special sensitivity, as similar projects have previously sparked widespread waves of anger, given that the call to prayer does not constitute just a daily religious ritual, but rather a part of the religious and cultural identity of the Palestinians. Approval of the law would open a new chapter of tension, especially in light of the explosive conditions in the region and the escalation of political and religious tension.
