Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frozen a controversial bill aimed at curbing the activities of non-profit civil and human rights organizations following significant criticism from the United States and prominent European countries, Israeli media reported.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Sunday that the bill will not be put to a vote before the Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs as planned on Sunday, but will be put up for discussion as a largely symbolic measure.

Ten #EU Countries Urge Israel to Halt Demolition of Palestinian Homes. The statement called on "#Israel, as the occupying power, to halt all confiscations and demolitions in the occupied #WestBank including #EastJerusalem." https://t.co/XzsLeJnyY5 pic.twitter.com/5tTox0DuCo

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) May 28, 2023

The proposed bill seeks to impose a 65 percent tax on funding received by organizations and associations from foreign governments.

The German Foreign Ministry has strongly criticized the draft bill, warning that its passing would harm relations with Israel.

The US administration and other Western countries have also criticized it, warning against harming civil society organizations.

(MEMO, PC)