Far-right Israeli party Jewish Power pushes bill to silence Islamic call to prayer

The extremist Israeli party Jewish Power said Monday it is advancing legislation to restrict the Athan, the Islamic call to prayer, from being broadcast by loudspeakers in mosques.

The move is being widely condemned as a direct attack on religious freedom and part of a broader campaign to erase Palestinian presence.

The proposal is backed by national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right figure known for anti-Palestinian incitement and repeated assaults on Islamic holy sites.

Under the bill, Israeli police would be given sweeping authority to storm mosques, shut off loudspeakers and force worshippers to stop the Athan on demand.

The legislation would also allow police to seize audio equipment and impose fines of up to 50,000 shekels (around $15,700) on anyone installing or operating mosque loudspeakers without state approval.

Revenue from these fines would be channelled into a state-run confiscation fund used to bankroll Israeli projects, The New Arab's Arabic language edition reported, raising fears this is another system of state profiteering from repression.

Ben-Gvir defended the controversial bill by claiming the Athan constitutes "unreasonable noise" and harms "health and quality of life".

The move has amassed criticism from Palestinian groups, with the Supreme Fatwa Council issuing a sharp rejection of the "racist bill" that portrays an ancient Islamic ritual as a disturbance to justify criminalisation and police intervention.

The Supreme Fatwa Council issued a firm rejection of the proposal and warned that it represents a violation of international law and an escalation in Israel’s campaign to control Islamic worship.

"The proposed legislation is racist and targets mosques as part of an ongoing Israeli policy of interfering in Islamic worship, particularly at al-Aqsa Mosque and the Ibrahimi Mosque," the statement said.

The council added that the bill comes in the context of "crimes and violations" against Islamic heritage and holy sites, warning that silencing the call to prayer risks igniting serious unrest.

The Athan, they stressed, was "linked to faith and belief, an inherited ritual that will not be silenced regardless of fines or state penalties".

Other Palestinian groups called on the international community to urgently intervene and stop attacks on mosques and prevent Israeli authorities from infringing on the rights of Palestinian Muslims.

Ben-Gvir is known for his explicit comments against Palestinians and attacks on holy sites, and has regularly taken part in settler incursions on the revered al-Aqsa Mosque complex.