Ben Gvir renews push to curb Adhan loudspeaker use

Tel Aviv: Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has drawn renewed attention to a proposed bill regulating mosque loudspeakers after a video circulated on social media showing him criticising the volume of the Islamic call to prayer, or Adhan.

In the footage, Ben gvir appears to be sleeping while the call to prayer is heard in the background. He then wakes up and voices frustration over the sound.

“Enough! That’s it. It’s no longer possible to sleep,” Ben-Gvir says in the video.

“I will work to change this situation and put an end to the noise coming from the mosques,” he adds.

The video surfaced shortly after Israel’s Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a bill sponsored by National Security Committee chairman Zvika Fogel and backed by Ben-Gvir’s Jewish Power party.

Watch the video here

Bill proposes permit requirements

Under the proposal, mosques would need official authorisation before installing or operating loudspeaker systems used to broadcast the Adhan.

Applications would be assessed according to criteria including sound levels, noise-reduction measures, location and the potential impact on nearby residents.

The legislation would also expand police powers, allowing officers to order the immediate suspension of broadcasts if permit conditions are breached. Authorities could confiscate equipment in cases of repeated violations.

Those operating loudspeaker systems without authorisation could face fines of up to 50,000 shekels, while additional penalties would apply for non-compliance with permit requirements.

Bill awaits Knesset vote

The committee’s approval does not make the proposal law. The bill must still pass several stages in the Knesset before it can take effect.

Supporters of the measure say it is intended to address noise concerns in residential areas. Critics, however, argue that restrictions on the adhan could undermine the religious rights of Muslim communities.

Efforts to limit or regulate mosque loudspeakers have been debated in Israel for years, with previous proposals failing to secure final parliamentary approval.