Arab Member of the Israeli Knesset Ahmad al-Tibi called for a vote of no-confidence in the incumbent Netanyahu government after the latter okayed a bid to ban Muslim call to prayers in the occupied territories.
As he stood on the Knesset podium head of the Joint Arab List al-Tibi called for a vote of no-confidence in the Netanyahu government which approved a motion to ban the Muslim call to prayers via Mosque loudspeakers.
According to al-Tibi the bill was the latest of “frequent attempts to harm the feelings of Muslims under the trivial pretext of preventing noise.”
During the Knesset session al-Tibi expressed his objection to the proposed legislation by reciting to the plenum the call to prayer.
“The one who is causing millions to suffer is Benjamin Netanyahu the first and foremost inciter against the Arab citizens and their leadership” said the MK.
“A few years ago as I stood on this very plenum I warned how Israeli dogs are trained to pounce and attack any Arab who chants Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) as a Pavlovian reaction. Today we are facing another kind of dog unit one that is ready to pounce whoever says Allahu Akbar.”
By the end of his speech al-Tibi recited the call to prayer on the Knesset plenum saying: “The muezzin will keep reciting the call to prayers . . . . God is greater than you.”
The bill which calls for barring the use of loudspeakers for religious call to prayer would need to go through several readings in the Knesset — Israel’s parliament — before making it into law Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Sunday.
Speaking ahead of a vote on the bill in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation the Israeli prime minister said that the blared prayer calls are a public nuisance that cuts across all religious denominations.
The prayer calls traditionally announced through minarets five times have been a frequent target of Israeli ire with many claiming they are a loud nuisance that echoes in Jewish towns and neighborhoods.
The bill was penned by Jewish Home MK Moti Yogev. Supporters of the bill say freedom of religion should take a backseat to quality of life in this case.
Arab lawmakers attacked the proposal as a hate-fueled assault on Muslim freedom of religion.
