The Knesset plenum approved Wednesday in a preliminary vote the “Israel Hayom bill” that would shut down the nation’s largest circulation newspaper, which is distributed for free. 

The bill was proposed by MK Eitan Cabel (Labor) and a group of MKs, including Ayelet Shaked of the Jewish Home.

The bill passed by a 43:23 majority and will be debated at the Knesset’s House Committee, which will prepare it for the first reading.

MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home) called the vote a shameful one for Israeli democracy.

“I am sorry, and I am ashamed that there are members of the Jewish Home faction whose names are signed on this bill,” he stated. “I hope that this law will be struck down in the course of the legislation process and that we will not harm freedom of expression in Israel.”

“According to these rules,” he added, “we should have closed down Haaretz and Yediot Aharonot a long time ago. One shuts down a paper only if it is blatantly harming state security, or doing similarly grave things. This is a black day for democracy.”