Arab city protests the Muezzin Bill by blaring 'Allahu Akbar'
Protesting the Muezzin Bill, Baqa al-Gharbiyye municipality blasts out a loud call throughout the northern city, a day after the Knesset moved to limit decibel levels of religious institution calls.
Muezzin calls blaring "Allahu Akbar" were heard from Baqa al-Gharbiyye's city hall loudspeakers on Wednesday, as the municipality sought to loudly protested the passing of the Muezzin Bill's preliminary reading.
The bill, which seeks to limit decibel levels for religious institutions, passsed in the Knesset on on Wednesday by a vote of 55-48.
The display of defiance against what Arab MKs have described as discrimination against the Arab population, was ordered by the town's mayor, lawyer Morsi Abu Mokh, who instructed the use of the loudspeakers to broadcast the muezzin.
Abu Mokh attacked the members of the Knesset who passed the bill, saying "whoever believes in state law should represent all of its residents. This bill will only distance the two populations further, and we want to prevent that."
He called on the members of the Knesset to reconsider, suggesting promoting other bills which strengthen and aid the principles of democracy and equality in Israel.
The mayor stated that the city hall's loudspeakers will play the muezzin call to prayer twice a day every work day. "Our aim is to send a message to whoever voted in favor of the bill, saying that we will not stand for a decision which hurts our feelings and religion."
Many residents in Baqa al-Gharbiyye and other towns supported Mokh's protest. An Imam in a nearby mosque insisted that the muezzin will not be silenced, saying "we will not stop the muezzin, and we will not respect this law even if they arrest us. This is the decision we made. The government is fighting Muslim's and Islam, and we'll respond accordingly."
The Knesset approved the preliminary reading of two versions of the controversial bill in a raucous session that repeatedly descended into a shouting match between Arab MKs and right-wing supporters of the measure.
