Muezzin bill passes preliminary reading

The “Muezzin Bill,” which aims to prevent mosques from using loudspeakers to announce prayer times, passed preliminary reading today with 55 votes for it and 47 against it.

The Knesset passed the harsher version of the bill, which limits the volume of muezzins’ calls to prayer during all hours of the day.

Members of the opposition caused a commotion during the reading, with MK Ayman Odeh (Joint List) tearing the bill to pieces.