Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, visiting the al-Aqsa complex in Jerusalem's Old City, Aug. 13, 2024. (Credit: AFP)
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, has once again called for a target on Muslim practices. On Sunday, he ordered police to ban mosques from broadcasting “the adan,” the Muslim call to prayer.
In an interview with Israel’s Channel 12, Ben Gvir defended his decision by claiming that the "unreasonable noise" from mosques posed "a risk to the inhabitants of Israel." His directive mandates that Israeli police confiscate mosque loudspeakers and issue fines for non-compliance with the new rules.
This latest move follows a series of attempts by Israel's far-right factions to ban the Muslim call to prayer. In 2017, a bill known as the "Muezzin Bill" was introduced, which aimed to outlaw the use of loudspeakers in mosques.
Although it passed the first reading, it was ultimately blocked. Earlier, in 2013, a group of Jewish extremist activists, led by Ben Gvir, had deliberately broadcast the adan over loudspeakers in a Tel Aviv neighborhood. Their intention was to demonstrate how the call to prayer might "constantly inconvenience" Israeli citizens in other parts of the country.
Netanyahu's government held accountable
While the proposal is not new, it has sparked significant controversy, especially among Israeli Arab MPs. Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List, a political party representing Palestinians in Israel, vehemently condemned the ban.
Abbas accused Minister Ben Gvir of “adding fuel to the fire” and inciting Muslim Arabs to respond to his provocations. In a post on X on Saturday, Abbas further criticized Ben Gvir, stating that the minister “failed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque and is now trying to provoke all mosques.”
This latest move follows Ben Gvir’s highly contentious actions earlier this year. In August, he faced international backlash after advocating for the construction of a synagogue on the Esplanade of the Mosques, which is Islam's third holiest site and Judaism's holiest. Just days before, Ben Gvir had led a group of over a thousand Israelis in a controversial march through the religious site, performing Jewish rituals in front of the Dome of the Rock, an act forbidden by the site’s statute under Israeli law.
Ben Gvir has long been accused of having ties to a Jewish anti-Arab terrorist organization. His appointment as Minister of National Security in 2022 has sparked fierce controversy, even within Israel's far-right ruling coalition.
Last month, Israel’s Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, called on Netanyahu to dismiss him, accusing Ben Gvir of politicizing the police force.
Ahmad Tibi, an MP from the left-wing anti-Zionist Hadash-Ta’al list, condemned the minister's actions as part of a broader agenda to “reinforce the continued oppression of the Arab public,” using the Gaza war as a pretext to incite violence. Tibi held Netanyahu personally responsible for enabling Ben Gvir's provocative actions.
Since October 2023, Israeli authorities have intensified their discriminatory policies against Palestinians within Israel, particularly targeting those protesting the war in Gaza.
A month after the conflict began, the Knesset passed a vaguely worded amendment criminalizing the “consumption of terrorist content” under the country's anti-terrorism law. This amendment raises serious concerns about freedom of expression and could be used to further silence dissent and suppress legitimate criticism of Israeli government actions.
