JERUSALEM: The Israeli parliament voted early on Tuesday to pass a controversial bill in its first reading that would compel NGOs that receive most of their funding from foreign governments to declare it in official reports.

The proposal -- denounced by critics as likely to encourage a \ witch-hunt against leftist groups that campaign for the defence of Palestinian rights -- passed with 50 votes in favour and 43 against following a tense debate.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2016