Thousands of Israeli Arabs on Friday took to the streets to protest the so-called “muezzin law”, vowing that the call of “Allahu akbar” that is heard during the Muslim call to prayer will continue to be sounded.
The protests took place following Friday prayers in Kafr Qasim, Tayibe, Kabul, Kafr Kanna and Rahat. Protesters called to stop the legislative process, waving banners that read, "Silence the voice of racists, not the voice of the muezzin" and "A racist law".
The law would prohibit all places of worship from using loudspeakers which disturb citizens’ sleep, but Arabs see it as specifically targeting mosques, since synagogues do not use loudspeakers. At a protest in Kafr Qasim, the mayor, Adel Badir, said, according to the Yedioth Ahronothnewspaper, "Here, at this place where we're demonstrating, 49 martyrs were murdered in a massacre carried out by soldiers."
"We were born with 'Allahu akbar,' and we'll continue saying, 'Allahu akbar,'" he declared.
One Kafr Qasim resident who was at the protest said, according to Yedioth Ahronoth, "If this racist law passes, quiet will not come. We'll continue to fight with all (our) strength, and it doesn't matter to us what the results may be. Arrests, indictments and investigations won't deter us. The Israeli government must understand that harming the Muslim religion is a red line." (Read More)
