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 Azaan.
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.
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“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
Extrimest Israeli minister Itamar Ben Gvir promotes a bill that would ban the broadcast of the Islamic call to prayer, Adhan from mosque loudspeakers.The proposed law would allow police to confiscate loudspeaker systems and impose fines of up to 50,000 shekels, $13,500. pic.twitter.com/PxAbFOBAju— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) June 3, 2026
Bill proposes permit requirements
Under the proposal, mosques would need official authorisation before installing or operating loudspeaker systems used to broadcast the Azaan.
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 Azaan 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.
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