Story highlights Needs to be passed three more times by parliament

UN special coordinator urged voting against the bill

Jerusalem (CNN) Israel's parliament voted Wednesday in favor of a bill that could legalize dozens of Israeli outposts in the West Bank, in the first of three readings.

Outposts are small unsanctioned communities which have sprung up in the West Bank in the last 20 years. Many are very close to existing settlements. The outposts are currently considered illegal under Israeli law, as well as international law.

Fifty-seven lawmakers voted to approve the draft legislation, while 51 were against it.

It needs to be passed two more times by parliament before it becomes law.

The bill would allow settlers living in these outposts to remain in homes built on private Palestinian land. The original landowners would receive compensation.

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