Bill seeks to close mosques where incitement is preached
Proposal seeks to follow similar ideas suggested in France, US.
By LAHAV HARKOVUpdated: NOVEMBER 25, 2015 01:23Preacher at Al-Aqsa Mosque to the Jews: "We Shall Slaughter You Without Mercy"(photo credit: screenshot)
New legislation that would shut mosques or any structure in which there is regular incitement to terrorism was proposed by MK Bezalel Smotrich (Bayit Yehudi) Tuesday.The bill is inspired by similar initiatives in France and a call by Donald Trump, a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the US, which Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), another candidate, said he supported last week.The explanatory portion of the proposed bill states: “studies show that sometimes criminal terrorist actions are a result of wild incitement by religious figures in mosques who give speeches that inflame those present to go out to wage jihad in the name of God.“Such behavior was prohibited years ago in the penal code, but the law does not relate to the place in which the incitement and calls to violence happen,” the bill explains.Smotrich said Israel must use all the tools it has to fight terrorism.“The well-oiled Arab incitement machine is the platform on which terrorism grows, and the time has come to take care of it,” he said.“We cannot allow mosques to be used as fertile ground for incitement and terrorism. We are saying enough. Enough incitement in the name of religion, enough murder in the name of religion.”The Bayit Yehudi MK added that his proposal will help bring back Israel’s deterrence and send a clear message that any place that houses incitement will be shut down.
