JNN 04 Feb 2011 : The Awkaf (endowment) department in Al-Khalil said on Wednesday that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) banned the call for prayers (Azaan) on 50 occasions during the past month of January.

It said in a statement that the Azaan is banned at the pretext that it “annoys” Jewish settlers present inside the mosque in the area allocated for them. The department charged that the IOA ignores all international norms and laws and heavenly religions that stipulate freedom of worship and the right to reach holy shrines in safety and security, adding that the IOA always pursues such policy to harass Muslims and bloc their prayers.