Jerusalem’s new mayor wants to muffle mosque loudspeakers

The new mayor of Jerusalem will push for the volume to be turned down on the city’s mosque loudspeakers during the call to prayer.

The move would be one of the first policy initiatives by Moshe Lion after he won the municipal election in November. “Our goal is to deal with this issue with all the relevant parties so that all those involved will be content,” Mr Lion told Hadashot TV.

The plan is to replace Jerusalem’s mosque loudspeakers with new ones that broadcast at a lower volume. Police will be allowed to reduce the volume of the speakers if they are deemed to be too loud.

The move to muffle mosque loudspeakers has long been considered by Israeli politicians but Palestinians say the attempts are racist and an attempt to diminish Arab influence in Jerusalem.

About 20 per cent of Israel’s population is Arab and say such volume control impinges on religious freedoms.

Right-wing legislators have long argued that such broadcasts annoy Israel’s Jewish population, waking them in the middle of the night.

Israeli legislation known as the Muezzin Bill has stalled since it received preliminary approval in March 2017.

If passed, the legislation could allow Israeli authorities to confiscate mosque loudspeakers should they be considered too loud. It would also outlaw cals to prayer from 11pm to 7am.

Houses of worship will be fined up to $2,700 (Dh9,915) if they break the rules. Jordan criticised the bill as discriminatory and a breach of international law, while Israeli Arab politicians said the bill would be a further source of tension.

Muslim leaders in Israel pledged to continue playing the loudspeakers at the volume they want, regardless of the law.