Palestinian citizens of Israel protest mosque ban

Hundreds of Palestinian citizens of Israel took to the streets on Saturday to protest against a bill to ban the use of loudspeakers in mosques. Protesters in Nazareth, Jaffa, Umm al-Fahm and other cities held signs reading "a democratic state doesn't attack freedom of religion," and other slogans criticizing the proposed bill, Israeli news site Ynet reported. Jamal Zahalka, a leader in the Balad party in Israel, said that the mosque bill was part of "a war against the Arab and Muslim population by racists," adding that church bells, the Muslim call to prayer and the use of the Jewish Shofar horn have always existed. The ban on loudspeakers in mosques was proposed by right wing party Yisrael Beiteinu and would apply to all places of worship, although it effectively only targets mosques. MK Anastassia Michaeli, who proposed the bill, said hundreds of thousands of Israelis suffer from the noise caused by mosques. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed support for the bill on Sunday, saying that "there's no need to be more liberal than Europe." Around 20 percent, or 1.3 million people, of Israel's population are of Palestinian origin. They are largely the descendants of Palestinians that managed to remain during the 1948 war, when an estimated 700,000 were expelled from or fled their homes during fighting that would see the establishment of the state of Israel.