Jeddah: The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned the Israeli Knesset's preliminary approval of a bill aimed at banning the Muslim call to prayer (adhan), known as the "Muezzin Law."
According to Palestine News and Information Agency, the OIC described the proposed legislation as null and void, calling it a discriminatory and racist legislative measure that constitutes a flagrant violation of freedom of religion and worship, as well as the cultural and religious rights guaranteed under international law and international human rights law.
The organization stated that the bill marks a dangerous escalation in a series of Israeli laws, decisions, and policies that target the Palestinian presence and the Arab and Islamic identity. It further added that this legislation represents a direct assault on Islamic religious rituals and holy sites.
The OIC emphasized that restricting the call to prayer violates Israel's obligations under international law. This includes the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and other international instruments that protect the right to freely practice religious rites without discrimination or restriction.
The organization called on the international community, particularly the United Nations, its specialized agencies, and all relevant international parties, to take urgent action to halt Israel's unlawful measures and policies. It urged for the revocation of the proposed legislation and other discriminatory laws, ensuring the respect for freedom of worship and the protection of Islamic holy sites while holding Israel, as the occupying power, accountable for its ongoing violations of international law and international legitimacy.