National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has confirmed plans to enforce restrictions on mosques using loudspeakers to broadcast the Adhan, the Islamic call to prayer. The measure, first reported by Channel 12, grants police the authority to enter mosques, seize loudspeaker equipment, and issue fines for violations. Ben Gvir defended the policy in a post on X, stating he is “proud” of the initiative, which he claims will eliminate “unreasonable noise from mosques, which have become a hazard for the residents of Israel.” The decision has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Labor MK Gilad Kariv warned on X that Ben Gvir’s actions “endanger the State of Israel” and cautioned that his policies could escalate tensions, writing, “he won’t stop until in the end, a match sets the barrel on fire.” Hadash-Ta’al MK Ahmad Tibi also denounced the move, accusing Ben Gvir of “building his base on hatred and persecution of Arabs” and holding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for what he described as the “pyromaniac minister’s rampage.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)