Turkey slams Israeli bill to reduce volume of call to prayer
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Turkey's deputy prime minister has criticized as "unacceptable" an Israeli proposal that would make mosques reduce the volume of loudspeakers issuing their call to prayer.
Speaking following a Cabinet Monday, Numan Kurtulmus told reporters the proposal was contrary to religious freedoms and went against Jerusalem's historic multi-religious culture.
Kurtulmus said: "Bringing the restrictions on the call to prayer at Al-Aqsa and other mosques on the agenda is in no way acceptable." He was referring to the main mosque in Jerusalem.
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Supporters of the Israeli bill have painted the issue as a matter of quality of life. The bill however, has deepened a sense in the Arab minority that it being marginalized.
Kurtulmus' comments come as Israel and Turkey are preparing to exchange ambassadors as part of a reconciliation deal.