There's a huge mosque on the east side of Manhattan -- East 96th Street, to be exact -- and they are prohibited from loudspeaking the muezzin's call because the first time they did it was more than enough. You could hear the call to prayer all the way down to East 57th Street and all the way over to the West side! Perhaps Abbas can dig a crowbar in his pocket and come up with the cash to purchase all "good" Moslems a reliable wristwatch. That should solve the problem, and he certainly has sufficient cash reserves. Americans in New York did not wish to be subject to five times a day of absolute noise pollution. Why should Jews in their country be entitled to anything less?

he is beaten by police and thrown into jail because one Arab complained they were "bothered" by the noise THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED

loudspeakers calling in Arabic, 5 times a day, is is a HUGE issue that is not going to go away. It is simply wrong that Jews, Christians and other religious people are subjected to this wailing ever daY of the week, 5 times per day. When one sits in their own home, even with doors and windows closed, on Shabbat, one should NOT have to hear this racket right in their own living room. It is an extreme invasion of one's own privacy and personal space.. To think that one has a right to invade everyone else's home and space with an annoying, irritating, constant wailing, is chutzpah. Would the MK's have the guts to do something about this. Otherwise it is just one more thing that the Arab population of Israel hold over the rest of the country. Why are their comforts and "rights" always considered before the rest of the population's?

As someone who hears this daily I back the bill. During the summer with the windows open it disrupts my sleep. We are also subjected to tremendous amounts of noise (including fireworks and gunfire) from illegal wedding halls in Arab villages. I am sure that most of the people opposed to the bill live in Tel aviv have not been subjected to this

The call to pray does not have to be done with a pre recorded message using a electronic loud speaker at all hours of the day. In most western countries one is allowed to make noise including muslim call to pray above a certain decibel that should also apply here. besides everyone knows that they blast the pray super loud at all hours to bother the Jews. Let them SMS a call to pray or do like they did in the time of Mohammad.

And everyone living near a mosque needs to show some tolerance. They are an integral part of our country. It's wrong and unfair to silence them.

I live in los angeles, and I don't hear any loud mosque preaching nor churches etc. We simply have laws about noise. I don't think its us going into a mosque and saying shhhhhh. Someone here can't even turn their car stereo up to a certain level during the day because you can be ticketed for noise pollution. I get that its a religious thing but its also being push on everyone around. I personally would hate having to hear some loud prayer call be it for any religion on a loud speaker in my area.

They can pray loudly in there private mosuqe. So if tmrw I and others practice a new religion that calls for lloud prayer calls on speaker phones 5 times a day and than some other guys start practicing a new religion that does the same. Are u OK with allowing EVERYONE to practice whatever they deem a religious practice because it is the "right thing to do"? Seems silly to me, and not democratic. They also believe in sharia law, shud israel allow that too for tolerance??

there is no reason the Jewish population must be dominated by 3am rock concert speaker. Until 1980s- from the year of mohammed until the 1980-s throughout the expansionist and occupying arab caliphate NEVER any loudspeakers. They did fine. Just say no to 3am rock concert next door

Anybody that has not suffered from these LOUD SPEAKERS just doesnt know the hell it causes. Ban the noise pollution for all, Arabs, Jews and the rest. Lets all live in peace and quiet.

I'm not going to make up a new religion that calls for prayers that are louder - just because and just to prove a point - how utterly childish! However, the Arabs have been calling to prayers for a gazillion years - it's wrong to stop them. They haven't just installed new speaker systems to piss off Israelis. I was woken up every morning by calls of the Muezzin - and I have to say I loved it! Since I moved, the only thing I miss is hearing that in the morning and whenever I was home. Arabs live here, they have mosques, they call to prayers and have been doing so for a long long long long time - it's wrong to stop it - very very wrong.

Look at the Haredim and what they are doing to Jerusalem and to women in general - they are no better than the contents of the Sharia law. They are just as bad. So, let's just stick to the facts of the news item.

Just as we are here to stay so are our Arab citizens and it is time that those in the seats of power started to realize that alienating them over and over is only increasing hatred! Lieberman's Israel Beiteinu seems to becoming more and more anti-democratic and Stalinist! Proof of this is his support for Putin (why I don't know as Putin is certainly not pro-Israel but pro Syria and Iran) and his attacks on those in Russia who merely want a fair election! Lieberman and his lot have also broken EVERY electoral promise they made and now they are trying to develop their aims by inciting hatred!

good for Jews and Israel. Let them disappear like other outdated and useless political parties. We need a political party that will worry about what is good for Israel and the Jews, not worry about our enemies within or to please the world. How about having term limits? Let them have two terms in the knesset and then retire from politics for life. Also ban immediate family members of politicians from entering politics at any level for three generations.

Everyone needs his night rest, so ban the speakers of the 4 am prayer. It is also better for the economy if people can sleep all night long and don't feel tired during daytime.

The Amsterdam mosques are not allowed to use any speaker. It has nothing to do with freedom of religion; it's just forbidden by law to use speakers, unless used during demonstrations (which also have to be requested beforehand).

Should we start tolerating honor killings, too? Is that the right thing to do?

another hasba rat post.. what the f.. has honor killings to do with noise from mosques

There are rules on the noise level of the muezzin in Saudi Arabia ( birthplace of modern day Islam ). Egypt ( now run by the MB ) and liberal European Austria. Its fine for the Islamic states and liberal Europe where freedom of religion is a very big issue but in Israel its not even going to go before the Knesset. This sort of thing should be a local issue for local municipalities to decide on because at the end of the day its about local noise level and not where the noise is coming from. In this country we are obsessed in trying to keep the arabs and muslims happy in an effort to make the world think we don't discriminate. We gor Jews suffering because of the muezzin and the only access to Temple Mount that Jews have has been closed for safety but the government doesn't have the courage to build a new bridge making the site fully off limits to Jews indefaintly. We want social justice protests then how about protesting to put Jewish rights of Muslims which we have to try and give ourselves a good image in the outside world.

I think the ministers are afraid of angering the arabs! At Jewish weddings in Israel, no music is allowed to be played after 11 P.M. so as not to disturb anyone else! I guess Jews abide by courtesy rules, whereas arabs can do whatever they want, whether it is their loud broadcasts for prayer, or their shooting off of guns at their weddings! It is now apparent and sad that arabs seem to be able to do whatever they want and whenever they want in Israel! A true shame!

People that bring other non-related issues into a discussion are just dumb! We are dealing with one subject here and that is the loudness of the mosque's call to prayers.

This business of using loudspeakers; it seems a bit, well, lazy. If you love God you should be willing to call it out at the top of your lungs rather than using loudspeakers.

In Israel the politicians are obsessed with how others see the country so they like to appease. In 1981 Peres was planning to make Begin's plan to bomb Saddam Hussain's nuclear reactor because he was worried about France's opinion of Israel because they built the thing for him. So Begin had to move up the operation to do the job before Peres opened his mouth. Bibi has killed even the watered down bill which would have controlled foreign governments & NGOs funding groups in Israel because mostly objections from the US & Europe. This mosque bill its not anti Islam and there is no good reason not to pass it but the cabinet ministers are terrified of the idea to even propose it. This country isn't run be elected politicans its run by the US & Europe who we want to appease.

I hear them about 4 in the morning, and the closest arab village is quite far away. Thats how loud it is.

and its open to all faiths

What it PURPORTS to be and what it REALLY is are two very different things. Besides, since when does an "Islamic culture center" need a minaret? And how would YOU know what it is all the way in Minnesota? Stick to Mall of America, okay? I don't need you telling me what goes on in New York City.

I am sick and tired of the intrusion, invasion into my life, serenity and more importantly my SLEEP, with these extremely loud noises starting at 5 am and ending at 10 pm. If I made so much noise, my neighbours would call the police. With cell phones, clocks and other such inventions since the 14th century, there are alternate ways of calling people to prayer. Pacific islanders no longer blow the conch, Jews stopped blowing the shofar once they found a quieter method of summoning their people to prayer. This is merely another way to demonstrate Muslim domination of the world. Please let me sleep beyond 5am!! Is that not MY DEMOCRATIC RIGHT

Cowardice in high-places! God bless Israel; praying for the peace of Jerusalem!

This bill is a national disgrace. Anyone remember how Kristallnacht began?