Rantburg

Today's Front Page   View All of Fri 03/29/2024 View Thu 03/28/2024 View Wed 03/27/2024 View Tue 03/26/2024 View Mon 03/25/2024 View Sun 03/24/2024 View Sat 03/23/2024
2016-11-14 Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Netanyahu Backs Bill To Limit Noise From Mosques
Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he backed a bill limiting the volume of calls to prayer from mosques, a proposal government watchdogs have called a threat to religious freedom.

Netanyahu, speaking before a ministerial committee adopted the draft bill, said he would support such a move that some have labeled unnecessarily divisive.

The bill now faces three readings in parliament before becoming law.

Israeli media reported that the bill would stop the use of public address systems for calls to prayer.

"I cannot count the times -- they are simply too numerous -- that citizens have turned to me from all parts of Israeli society, from all religions, with complaints about the noise and suffering caused them by the excessive noise coming to them from the public address systems of houses of prayer," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting.

While the draft bill applies to all houses of worship, it is seen as specifically targeting mosques.

Israel's population is roughly 17.5 percent Arab, most of them Muslim, and they accuse the Jewish majority of badly discriminating against them.

East Jerusalem is also mainly Palestinian and traditional calls to prayer by muezzins through PA systems can be heard in the city.

The Israel Democracy Institute, a non-partisan think tank, has spoken out against the proposal.

On Sunday, one of the watchdog's officials accused Israel's right-wing politicians of dangerously using the issue to gain political points under the guise of improving quality of life.

Nasreen Hadad Haj-Yahya wrote in Israeli newspaper Maariv that "the real aim" of the bill "is not to prevent noise, but rather to create noise that will hurt all of society and the efforts to establish a sane reality between Jews and Arabs".

Netanyahu heads what is seen as the most right-wing government in Israeli history.
Posted by Hupaving Cheregum6186 2016-11-14 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views ]  Top

#1 Instead of doing it with loudspeakers, they should return to the old-fashioned way and have someone yell from the minaret.
Posted by gorb 2016-11-14 00:57||   2016-11-14 00:57|| Front Page Top

#2 "Netanyahu Backs Bill To Limit Noise From Mosques." Bibi or Hupaving Cheregum6186 has a sense of humor.
Posted by JohnQC 2016-11-14 06:59||   2016-11-14 06:59|| Front Page Top

#3 Speaking as your Religious Advisor, I recommend flashing neon signs and text messages to the faithful. This *is* the 21st century, for cripes sake.
Posted by SteveS 2016-11-14 10:20||   2016-11-14 10:20|| Front Page Top

#4 There's probably an app for that...
Posted by Pappy 2016-11-14 11:51||   2016-11-14 11:51|| Front Page Top

#5 Nah. Being obtuse, braying, violent jackasses is part and parcel to the Mooselimb schtick. Ya see, first ya pull all kinds of offensive crepe until somebody complains. Then, obtusely, ya call the complainer a racist.

Rinse and repeat.
Posted by JHH 2016-11-14 13:08||   2016-11-14 13:08|| Front Page Top

#6 Meanwhile the FEDS are mandating all electric and hybrid car makers to make those vehicles noisier to reduce 'stealth-related' deaths and injuries. Sept 1, 2019 is the deadline.
card. clothes pin. spokes. some assembly required.



Posted by USN, Ret. 2016-11-14 15:00||   2016-11-14 15:00|| Front Page Top

#7 Gotta prevent all those cyclist run-overs, y'know
Posted by Pappy 2016-11-14 15:50||   2016-11-14 15:50|| Front Page Top

#8  Maybe they could make the electric vehicles like this to make them noiser.
Posted by JohnQC 2016-11-14 19:32||   2016-11-14 19:32|| Front Page Top

#9 Let them use sign language...
Posted by vendaval  2016-11-14 20:03||   2016-11-14 20:03|| Front Page Top










Paypal:
Google
Search WWW Search rantburg.com