Israel’s far-right party moves to restrict Adhan across occupied Palestine

Jerusalem: Israel’s far-right Otzma Yehudit party has advanced new legislation seeking to restrict the Muslim call to prayer (Adhan) within the Green Line (the Palestinian territories occupied in 1948), according to Israeli media reports on Sunday, December 28.

The bill was submitted by Tzvika Fogel, chair of the Knesset’s National Security Committee, with the backing of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir. Under the proposal, the use of loudspeakers in mosques would be prohibited unless prior authorisation is granted by the authorities.

Key provisions of the proposed bill

• Permit requirement: Loudspeakers would be banned by default and allowed only with official approval.
• Assessment criteria: Permits would depend on sound volume, noise-reduction measures, the mosque’s location, proximity to residential areas and the impact on nearby residents.
• Police powers: Officers would be authorised to order an immediate halt to loudspeaker use and confiscate equipment on site.
• Financial penalties:

1. Up to 50,000 Israeli shekels for installing or operating loudspeakers without a permit.
2. 10,000 shekels for breaching permit conditions.

• Use of fines: Penalties would be transferred to a confiscation fund.

Supporters of the bill have framed the move as a regulatory and public health measure. Ben Gvir has argued that the call to prayer creates excessive noise that affects residents’ quality of life, while Fogel has said the issue should not be treated as a religious matter.

The bill has drawn strong opposition from Palestinian citizens of Israel and Islamic religious bodies. The Islamic Supreme Fatwa Council in Palestine condemned the proposal, describing it as an attack on Islamic worship and a continuation of policies targeting Muslim religious identity. The council warned that restricting the adhan could further escalate religious tensions.

The initiative follows earlier instructions issued by Ben Gvir directing police to seize mosque loudspeakers under existing regulations. The new proposal seeks to formalise those measures through legislation, creating a structured licensing and enforcement system.

Previous attempts to legislate limits on the call to prayer were advanced in 2017 but failed to pass. If approved, the current bill would introduce the most comprehensive legal restrictions to date on the use of mosque loudspeakers in areas under Israeli control.