The Israeli Knesset voted 50-36 in favor of the bill to limit or ban the use of loudspeakers and public-address systems in places of worship, in a preliminary reading Wednesday. The bill, known as the muezzin bill, now moves to committee for further debate.
The Knesset voted 50-36 Wednesday evening to pass the so-called muezzin bill in its preliminary reading, according to the official vote tally. The legislation, which would restrict or ban the use of outdoor loudspeakers for calls to prayer at mosques and other houses of worship, now moves to the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee for detailed deliberation before further readings.
The vote took place after a day of coalition maneuvering. At 17:19 Jerusalem, Yisrael Beytenu announced its support for the bill, as The Zioneer reported. By 17:37, United Torah Judaism lawmakers had boycotted a prior plenum vote on the bill, delaying proceedings. The Shas party ultimately supported the measure in the 50-36 vote, following its earlier announcement of backing, as The Zioneer reported at 17:38. The bill's passage was first reported by journalist Dafna Liel (N12) at 17:38 Jerusalem, with multiple outlets subsequently confirming the vote count.
Opponents, including Arab party lawmakers and Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas, have denounced the bill as discriminatory and racist. As The Zioneer reported at 17:20 Jerusalem, Abbas called Shas's support 'very disappointing and despicable,' accusing the religious party of violating the biblical command to not oppress the stranger. Supporters argue the bill addresses noise pollution and quality-of-life concerns in mixed neighborhoods. The desk also reported earlier this week that political commentator Daniel Amram alleged a deal between Arab MKs and Haredi parties to block the muezzin bill in exchange for support on the Torah Study law — a claim that remains unverified.
The final legislative path remains uncertain. While the bill advanced in this preliminary reading, coalition dynamics and party discipline could shift ahead of the committee stage and subsequent plenary votes. The alleged deal between Arab and Haredi factions over the Torah Study law has not been confirmed by any on-record source.
5 developments
- DevelopingHamas condemns Knesset's preliminary approval of muezzin bill
- StrongMuezzin bill set for Knesset plenum vote next week; Avraham Hasson alleges Ben Gvir maneuver behind the scenes
- DevelopingYisrael Beytenu announces support for muezzin bill
- DevelopingMK Waleed al-Hawashla confronts muezzin bill initiators in Knesset debate
Source and signal
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