A Washington media watchdog has downgraded Israel’s press to “partly free” in its annual report, accusing the Israeli regime of using media outlets to spread propaganda to the public. The report cited the “growing impact” of the tabloid right-wing newspaper Israel Hayom, saying the newspaper was nothing more than a mouthpiece for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Timesofisrael.com reports: The Freedom House ranking, released Wednesday, gives Israel 32 points on a 100-point scale — where a higher number represents more restrictions on press freedom — just above Italy, at 31 points, and four points above France and Spain, which both scored 28. In 2015, Israel scored 30, which is the maximum number of points a country can have while retaining the “free” status. The report cited the increasing negative influence of Israel Hayom, a daily tabloid distributed for free on busy streets and public transportation. The paper, which Freedom House estimates has cornered 40 percent of the Hebrew news market, is backed by American billionaire Sheldon Adelson. In February, during a Supreme Court hearing, the casino magnate’s attorney Avigdor Klagsbald said for the first time that the newspaper was owned by an Adelson relative. “The financial viability of private print and broadcast outlets [...]