Dropped appeal allows Israel Adhan bill to move forward

By Kaamil Ahmed

JERUSALEM

A bill banning the use of loudspeakers for the Muslim call to prayer (Adhan) could go to a preliminary vote next week, Israeli Radio reported Wednesday, after an Ultra-Orthodox Jewish government minister dropped an appeal lodged earlier against the proposed legislation.

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, a leading member of Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, withdrew his objection to the bill after being told the proposed restrictions would only apply between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. -- which would only effect Muslim dawn prayers and not Jewish religious broadcasts.

Palestinian members of the Knesset (Israel's parliament) -- including prominent lawmaker Ahmad Tibi -- met with Litzman last week in hopes of persuading him to help block the bill.

On Wednesday, Tibi complained via Twitter about Likud party lawmaker David Bitan's "obsession" with seeing the bill passed into law.

According to Israeli Radio, it was Bitan who convinced Litzman to drop his appeal.

Palestinian leaders -- and several Muslim countries -- have criticized the proposed law as an infringement on the right to worship freely.

Nevertheless, Israeli lawmakers, with the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have pushed ahead with the controversial draft law.