CrossFireArabia
CROSSFIREARABIA –The Israeli Environmental Quality Authority slammed hundreds of financial fines on Moathneen (Prayer Callers) in a number of Arab cities inside Israel under the pretext that such calls violate environmental noise pollution laws. These fines are being made as the Israeli authorities are passing policies the limit the Muslim call-to-prayers, Athan, in mosques. Lawyer Khaled Zabarqa said the mosque Moathneen in the city of Lyddia received 150 fines from the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection because of the use of loud speakers for the Athan. He added every prayer caller is being slammed with a hefty fine for echoing his voice, and which is against freedom of religious practice. He said the aim is clearly to limit the Arab-Islamic presence and to shut off the prayer calls. He said Arab lawyers are currently contesting the fines in Israeli courts to stop the escalation procedures against the Prayer Callers. according to the Palestine Information Center. The Israeli Knesset is currently looking for ways to ban the Athan inside the 1948 territories and Jerusalem and enforce it through hefty fines.
