DaysofPal – Israel’s far-right Jewish Power party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, is advancing a new legislative initiative aimed at restricting the broadcast of the Islamic call to prayer in mosques within the territories occupied in 1948.
Ben Gvir is collaborating with the chair of the Knesset’s National Security Committee to draft a bill based on the idea of “prohibition as the rule and permission as the exception,” according to party announcements. Under this framework, the use of loudspeakers in mosques would be banned unless a special permit is obtained.
The proposed legislation would subject permit applications to a set of strict criteria, including limits on sound levels, technical measures to reduce volume, the mosque’s location and proximity to residential areas, and assessments of what authorities describe as the “impact of noise on residents.”
The bill would grant police broad powers for immediate enforcement. Any police officer would be authorized to order the shutdown of loudspeakers upon suspicion of a violation. If the alleged breach continues, police would be permitted to confiscate the entire sound system.
The proposal also includes heavy financial penalties described as “deterrent measures.” Fines could reach up to 50,000 shekels (approximately $15,000) for operating loudspeakers without a permit and 10,000 shekels (around $3,100) for violating the conditions of an approved permit.
The Jewish Power party claims that the new bill differs from earlier legislative attempts targeting the call to prayer, which focused mainly on limiting broadcast hours and allowed certain exceptions with relatively weak enforcement mechanisms.
According to the party, the current proposal establishes a structured licensing and oversight system, clearly assigns personal responsibility to the operating body, and significantly expands enforcement and punitive authorities. The bill also includes a mechanism to redirect revenues from fines toward public projects.
In explaining the rationale behind the proposal, the the racist party characterized noise as a “public health hazard,” arguing that despite previous enforcement campaigns, existing laws do not provide sufficient tools to address the issue.
The draft law seeks to impose what it describes as a “clear regulatory framework,” including a default ban, explicit licensing requirements, designation of a responsible operator, and substantial fines. Its stated aim is to restore “quiet and quality of life” for residents through firm and effective enforcement.
The proposed legislation comes as part of a broader, systematic policy of discrimination against Palestinians living in the territories occupied in 1948, embedded within an extremist agenda seeking to impose expanded security control over the Palestinian public sphere.
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