Proposed Israeli bill would close mosques preaching terrorism

JERUSALEM, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- A legislator in Israel introduced a bill Tuesday proposing to allow the government to shut down mosques where incitement to terrorism is preached.

Knesset member Bezalal Smotrich's proposed law would allow the Israeli government to close mosques it deems to be preaching incitement of attacks against Jews and Israelis. The bill has already attracted support from other legislators.

"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," the bill reads.

"We will use every tool at our disposal," Smotrich said of his proposal. "With terrorism, we must deal with the roots and not just the endpoints. Arab incitement is a well-oiled machine and the platform upon which terrorism grows, and it's time to take care of it. We will not allow the use of mosques as a fertile ground for incitement and terrorism."

The bill is similar to initiatives in France, as well as a suggestion made by U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, to which another candidate, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has concurred.