As political tensions rise and the possibility of early elections grows, members of the Israeli coalition are advancing a new bill aimed at tightening enforcement against mosque loudspeaker noise, including steep financial penalties and the confiscation of sound equipment.

The proposal, being led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir together with Knesset National Security Committee Chairman MK Tzvika Fogel, is expected to come before the Ministerial Committee for Legislation as early as next week.

Under the proposed legislation, mosques would be prohibited from installing or operating loudspeaker systems without obtaining explicit authorization. Approval would only be granted after authorities examine several factors, including noise levels, the mosque’s location, proximity to residential neighborhoods, the impact on nearby residents, and efforts to reduce disturbances.

The bill would also grant police expanded enforcement powers. According to the proposal, officers would be authorized to order the immediate shutdown of loudspeaker systems found to be operating in violation of the law. If the violation continues, police could confiscate the equipment on the spot.

The legislation includes substantial financial penalties as well. A fine of 50,000 shekels would be imposed for operating or installing a loudspeaker system without a permit, while an additional 10,000-shekel fine could be levied for violating permit conditions. Funds collected through the fines would reportedly be transferred to a designated public forfeiture fund.

The explanatory notes attached to the bill describe excessive noise as a public health hazard and argue that previous enforcement campaigns lacked sufficient legal tools to deal effectively with the issue.

Unlike earlier versions of the so-called “muezzin law,” which focused primarily on limiting hours of operation, the current proposal establishes a full licensing and regulatory framework, expands police authority, and places direct legal responsibility on operators.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said, “In many places, the noise of the muezzin is unreasonable noise that harms residents’ quality of life and health. This is a phenomenon that cannot be accepted.”

MK Tzvika Fogel added, “The muezzin at excessive volumes is not a religious issue — it is harm to public health and quality of life.”

Despite the renewed push, coalition officials acknowledged that the bill’s future remains uncertain following Wednesday’s move by Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz and coalition faction leaders to submit legislation seeking to dissolve the 25th Knesset.

If the political crisis leads to elections, many pending bills — including this proposal — may never reach a final vote because of the coalition’s fragile parliamentary position.

The legislation also faces another obstacle: potential opposition from the chareidi parties.

Previous efforts to advance similar legislation were blocked after the chareidi factions imposed a veto as part of longstanding understandings with Arab parties not to interfere in religious matters.

However, following the refusal of Arab lawmakers to assist the chareidi parties by abstaining on the draft law in order to secure its passage, some political observers believe chareidi MKs could retaliate by backing Ben Gvir’s proposal.

Still, coalition insiders said the chances of that remain relatively low, as the chareidi parties are believed to prefer keeping channels open with Arab lawmakers for future political cooperation.

{Matzav.com}