PA criticises Israeli bill calling to ban Muslim call to prayer

The Palestinian Authority (PA) yesterday criticised an Israeli bill calling to ban the Muslim call to prayer, Quds Press reported.

The information ministry considered the bill, which was discussed yesterday by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, a “violation of all borders, aggression on the sanctity of God’s houses, harming Muslims’ feelings and violation of the simplest of religious freedoms.”

In a statement, the ministry refuted the Israeli claims that the call to prayer is a violation of the rights of others. “These are nothing more than Israeli claims which have no proof,” the statement said.

“The occupation has to pay attention to its aggressive measures, which exceed the limits of annoyance -killing people, destroying homes, confiscating lands and stealing water.”

Meanwhile, the statement called for the International Islamic Organisation and the Global Council of Churches to put pressure on Israel to drop this “racist” bill and to stop its “religious terrorism”.

On Sunday, the Israel Democracy Institute warned in a letter to ministers that the bill threatened to “harm freedom of religion.”

“If the bill is advanced,” the think tank added, “it will encourage rifts in the Israeli community and harm the Muslim public.”