JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli Cabinet ministers on Sunday gave a preliminary approval for a bill that imposes restrictions on nonprofit groups that receive foreign funding, drawing accusations it is meant to crack down on government critics.
The bill, proposed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and approved by a committee of ministers, would affect organizations that receive more than half their funding from a foreign government.
Critics said the legislation is meant to stifle dovish organizations critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government policies toward the Palestinians, since such non-government groups tend to rely heavily on donations from European countries.
In contrast, pro-government and nationalistic nonprofit groups tend to rely on wealthy private donors, who are exempt from the measures under the proposed bill. The legislature is expected to approve the bill as early as this week.
Opposition leader Isaac Herzog quickly blasted the bill as a “muzzling law” that would bring about “thought police.”