Israeli violations extend to the Muslim call to prayer

On Eid Al-Adha, as prayers and greetings traveled across communities, a troubling signal rose from West Jerusalem: an Israeli ministerial committee approved a measure that would reach into the soundscape of worship and hand new powers to police at sacred Muslim sites. The bill — sponsored and advanced by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s party, which is part of Israel’s governing coalition — would require mosques to obtain authorization before using loudspeakers for the adhan (call to prayer) and would empower security forces to intervene more readily.