Israel seeks to prohibit call to prayer in Al Aqsa Mosque because it disturbs settlers

The Israeli Knesset is discussing a bill to ban the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem from raising the dawn call to prayer in order not to disturb the settlers in the holy city. Israeli media reported on Thursday that the draft law now under scrutiny by parliament will affect other densely populated cities.

According to Israeli media, the bill has been put forward to the Knesset by the Aryeh Bibby, a member of Kadima party, who said he had received written and oral requests which reflected the anger of millions of Jews with prayer calls in the early morning hours, both in Jerusalem and other occupied cities. Bibby, was reported as saying that if Muslims wanted to hear the call to prayer, they should find a way does not bother others.

While the Knesset has been discussing the ban on calls to prayer in Jerusalem, Jewish groups have demanded the closure of Al-Aqsa mosque until captured soldier Gilad Shalit is released.

The Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage revealed information regarding the document published by Jewish extremist groups titled “Closing the Temple Mount to the Arabs until the release of Gilad Shalit …No mosque without Gilad.”

The groups invite the Jewish community to sign the document that contains an appeal for the police to close Al Aqsa Mosque in the face of the Muslims, until the release of Shalit.

The document reads, “We the undersigned call upon the Israeli police to close the Temple Mount – Al-Aqsa Mosque – in the face of the Muslims, until the release of Gilad Shalit, without preconditions, the Arabs will be scared to lose Al-Aqsa, and it will gather global pressure on Hamas by Muslims all over the world for the release Gilad!! We have a strong pressure card, and the Arabs will not give up Al-Aqsa.”

Shalit was captured by the Palestinian Resistance since in June 2006 during an operation carried out by the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades along with the Palestinian Resistance Committees and the Army of Islam. The operation code named “Vanishing Illusion” took place near the Karem Abu Salim crossing.

In return for Shalit, Hamas is demanding the release of all prisoners with long sentences as well as women and children prisoners and Palestinians prisoners in the territories occupied in 1948.

SOURCE: Al Quds Al Arabi