Israel’s far-right Jewish Power party, led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, is advancing new legislation aimed at severely restricting the Islamic call to prayer, a move Palestinians and Muslim leaders have condemned as a direct attack on religious freedom and Palestinian identity.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Jewish Power party announced it is working on a draft bill that would effectively ban the call to prayer from mosques unless it is licensed by the state. Under the proposal, approval would be subject to strict criteria imposed by Israeli authorities, including volume limits, noise-reduction requirements, a mosque’s location, its proximity to residential areas, and the alleged impact on nearby residents.

The bill was submitted by Zvika Fogel, chair of the Knesset’s National Security Committee, who framed the legislation as a response to what he described as the “unreasonable noise” of the muezzin — the person who calls Muslims to prayer five times a day.

Palestinian citizens of Israel have strongly rejected claims that the call to prayer constitutes a noise problem, saying the proposed legislation is another step in the Israeli government’s long-running campaign to erase Palestinian religious, cultural, and national presence.

“This is not about noise. The call to prayer is not noise,” said Khaled Zabarqa, a human rights lawyer and activist from Lod. “The call to prayer has existed for hundreds of years and has been recited daily since Israel was established. It did not suddenly become a noise problem.”

Zabarqa said the bill is part of a broader policy aimed at Judaizing public space across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories by targeting visible and audible symbols of non-Jewish identity.

“The call to prayer is a symbol of the religious and national identity of Palestinians inside Israel,” he said. “It reminds them, and the world, that this land has an identity with deep roots, history, and civilisation.”

Under the proposed law, police officers would be granted sweeping powers to immediately shut down mosque loudspeakers if permit conditions are deemed to be violated. Repeated infractions would allow police to confiscate sound equipment entirely.

The penalties outlined in the bill are severe. Installing or operating loudspeakers without a permit would result in a fine of 50,000 shekels (approximately $15,660), while violating permit conditions would carry a 10,000-shekel ($3,100) fine.

In its explanatory notes, the Jewish Power party described mosque loudspeakers as a “health hazard,” claiming existing laws are insufficient to address the issue — a characterization widely denounced by Palestinian leaders as incitement and religious discrimination.

Attempts to restrict or ban the Muslim call to prayer in Israel are not new. In 2017, a similar bill passed a first reading in the Knesset but ultimately failed to become law following widespread opposition.

More recently, Ben Gvir has openly encouraged police intervention. Last year, he instructed Israeli police to prevent mosques from broadcasting the call to prayer, claiming it “disturbs” Jewish residents.

Commenting on the latest draft bill, Ben Gvir again described the call to prayer as “unreasonable noise” in many areas, alleging it harms residents’ health and quality of life.

“This is a phenomenon that cannot be accepted,” he said, adding that the legislation would provide police with powers they currently lack.

Palestinian activists and Islamic leaders, however, say the bill reflects religious fanaticism and institutionalized Islamophobia, warning that it sets a dangerous precedent by criminalizing Islamic worship practices under the guise of public order.

They argue the proposal is not about regulation, but about silencing Islam and asserting dominance over Palestinian life — further entrenching policies that marginalize Muslim communities and undermine fundamental rights to religious expression. (ILKHA)