Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked
Justice Minister Ayelet ShakedFlash90

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked does not support the Muezzin Law despite the national camp's rallying around the bill and abstained from voting for it when it came up for discussion in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has expressed his support for the bill to solve the issue of the loudspeakers blasting the Muslim call to prayer at extremely loud decibel levels waking citizens up several times a night in many parts of the country. “I can’t tell you how many times people have approached me, from all walks of Israeli society, who are crying out about the suffering that is caused by excessive noise reaching them from prayer house announcements.” Netahyahu said.

The office of Justice Minister Shaked said: "There is already a law against excessive noise which is not being enforced. The Interior Minister, the Internal Security Minister, and the Environment Minister all agreed that the existing regulations [cover the issue of the muezzin], but they have to be enforced."

"Justice Minister Shaked believes that when it is possible to enforce the existing law there is no need to legislate further. Nevertheless, the idea expressed in the law is important, and therefore Shaked decided to abstain." the statement continued.

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman also objected to the law in its present wording on the grounds that it may be used against the siren that sounds in many Israeli cities on Friday afternoons to announce the start of the Sabbath.