Israel approves first reading of inquiry bill

Israel’s parliament (Knesset) on Monday approved, in a preliminary reading, a bill to establish a commission of inquiry into the security failure that led to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, a move backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The vote was boycotted by the opposition, which argues that the proposed commission would be under government control, CE Report quotes AGERPRES

According to the explanatory note attached to the bill, its purpose is to enable “a full, independent and thorough investigation” into the events surrounding the October 7 massacre.

The bill passed with 59 votes in favor in the 120-seat Knesset, with no votes against or abstentions.

Under the proposal, the six-member commission would be appointed by a two-thirds majority in the Knesset. If no consensus is reached, three members would be selected by the governing coalition and three by the opposition.

Former hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 and relatives of victims would serve as observers, while the commission’s deliberations would be broadcast and made accessible to the public.

The bill’s sponsor, lawmaker Ariel Kallner, defended the commission’s bipartisan structure, saying only an equally composed body could uncover the truth and preserve public trust. He added that the commission would have the authority to investigate any entity that significantly influenced Israel’s security policy.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 people, most of them civilians, according to official Israeli figures.

In response, Israel launched a military offensive in the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, more than 73,000 people have been killed over the past two years, figures the United Nations considers generally credible. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since October.

Opposition leaders have announced they will boycott any commission appointed by politicians. Under the proposed law, if lawmakers fail to agree on appointments, the power to name commission members would ultimately fall to the Knesset speaker, effectively giving the governing coalition control over the process.

The opposition has long called for an independent national commission of inquiry, a mechanism that has previously been used in Israel to investigate major national failures.

Opinion polls indicate that a majority of Israelis, regardless of political affiliation, support an independent national inquiry.

Members of such a commission would instead be appointed by the president of Israel’s Supreme Court, who is currently at odds with Prime Minister Netanyahu on several issues.

“The opposition will not take part in a charade whose sole purpose is to cover up and prevent a genuine investigation into the greatest disaster the Jewish people have faced since the Holocaust,” opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X.

The bill will now be reviewed by the Knesset Constitution Committee before returning for final readings, expected to take place next week.

Last Tuesday, thousands of people marched in Tel Aviv and other cities to mark 1,000 days since the October 7 attack, calling for the establishment of an independent national commission of inquiry.

Photo: Wikipedia