The Israeli parliament rejected in its first reading a bill that would have banned Red Cross visits to Palestinian prisoners.
In the vote, which was boycotted by ultra-Orthodox parties, 36 MPs voted in favor of the bill, while 41 voted against.
The rejection of the bill means it cannot be brought back to the agenda for at least six months. During this period, a new vote will not be possible before the general election planned for October.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir held Shas Party leader Aryeh Deri responsible for the boycott decision. In a post on his social media account, Ben-Gvir reacted, saying, "
Thank you, Aryeh. Thanks to you, the Red Cross will visit the prison. How will you sleep at night?
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The Shas Party responded to Ben-Gvir's outburst, saying, "Israelis want security on the streets, not tweets."