The Knesset on Tuesday afternoon passed National Security Minister-designate Itamar Ben-Gvir's legislation giving him greater control over the Israel police in its first reading,

63 MKs voted in favor of the legislation, while 53 voted against it.

The bill will now return to committee for further discussion prior to being voted on in second and third readings and entered into the statute book.

At the start of the debate Tuesday morning, Ben-Gvir addressed the plenum, decrying the attempts of opponents to his amendments to block their passage and stating that, “Only in police states is the chief commissioner of police not subordinate to the relevant government minister.”