V15 campaign poster in Tel Aviv
V15 campaign poster in Tel AvivAmir Levy/Flash 90

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation voted Sunday to support a bill proposed by MK Yoav Kish (Likud), which would limit the funding that political non-governmental organizations (NGOs) may receive from foreign governments and international bodies.

The bill seeks to limit the activities of NGOs seeking to influence voter choices during elections and amend the current law.

"As I have previously explained, the amendment to the current law is especially needed after the recent elections which saw NGOs funded by unnamed sources attempting to influence the voter's decision,” said Kish, praising the approval.

According to Kish, without the amendment the previous election in which the American-funded V-15 NGO sought to have Likud voted out may be the first of a new trend.

“If the situation is not fixed now, we will see more of this ugly phenomenon in the next elections and from both sides – the right and left. Despite objections, the ministers voted for my bill and for democracy."

He added, "I will continue the effort to pass the bill in its preliminary reading in the Knesset before the end of the current session, until it becomes a law. We will all know that we are protected from foreign intervention in our democracy during the next election campaign."