A bill seeking to make permanent the so-called Al Jazeera Law, which allows the Israeli government to shut down foreign media outlets, has passed its first reading in the Knesset. The proposed legislation would remove the requirement for judicial oversight and expand the communications minister's authority to block or remove online content and disrupt broadcasts deemed harmful to national security. Critics, including legal advisors and press freedom advocates, warn that the law undermines freedom of expression and the press, likening it to measures seen in non-democratic regimes. The bill will now return to committee for further readings, amid ongoing legal challenges and public debate over its implications for democracy in Israel.