Israel’s Knesset passed on Wednesday a bill that will give more authority over the police to the country’s national security minister, the New Arab reported.

The bill was proposed by far-right Israeli lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir – who is set to become the next national security minister. It was approved with 61 members of the Knesset supporting it, and 55 opposing it, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

The so-called ‘Ben-Gvir bill’ will allow the Israeli national security minister to outline police policy, but the police commissioner will remain in charge of the institution.

“The correction to the law that we brought is a blessing for democracy. Only in police states does the police commissioner work on his own,” Ben-Gvir said during a previous vote on the bill, according to Haaretz.

The bill will also give the national security minister the authority to determine police policy regarding investigations, though they would need to consult with the attorney general, the police chief and other senior officers before making significant decisions.

(The New Arab, PC, SOCIAL)