Will Senate Religious Freedom Bill Actually Protect Land Sales for Israeli Settlements?
Advocates said the bill was necessary because of protests outside synagogues hosting real estate expos for Israeli settlement land. The post Will Senate Religious Freedom Bill Actually Protect Land Sales for Israeli Settlements? appeared first on The Intercept .
A bipartisan bill, the Right to Worship Act, is gaining traction in the Senate Judiciary Committee, aiming to protect places of worship from disruption. The legislation, backed by Senators Ted Cruz and Elissa Slotkin, could face opposition from unexpected quarters, including those concerned about its potential impact on abortion clinic protection.
The bill would allow the Department of Justice to impose fines or injunctions against those who disrupt religious services within 100 feet of a religious facility. Critics argue that the bill's vague definition of "course of conduct" could be abused to target peaceful protesters, potentially including demonstrations against illegal land sales to Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Muslim leaders have lent their support to the bill, but their concerns mainly revolve around the potential misuse of such laws to punish non-violent protesters. Abortion rights groups, on the other hand, fear that the Right to Worship Act could pave the way for weakening the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which shields abortion clinics from violent disruptions.
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