A Scandalous Israeli Chapter
Why They Said No: The Shocking Reason Coalition Blocked the Oct. 7 Inquiry
Coalition votes down state commission of inquiry into October 7 attack failures, sparking outrage from opposition and bereaved families. Government considers alternative panel.
A highly charged session of the Knesset State Control Committee concluded today with a narrow vote defeating a motion to establish a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the devastating October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack.
The decision effectively blocks an opposition-backed effort to launch an official, impartial investigation with full subpoena power, intensifying the political and public crisis over accountability for the nation's worst-ever security and intelligence failure.
Coalition members from Likud, Shas, and United Torah Judaism voted against the measure, while the opposition, including Yesh Atid, Blue and White, and Ra’am, supported the motion. The proposed commission, which would have operated under the State Comptroller Law, was intended to investigate the security lapses, the subsequent murder of approximately 1,200 people, the kidnapping of 251, and the war that followed.
Opposition: A 'Moral Failure' and 'Disgrace'
Opposition lawmakers swiftly condemned the outcome as a moral abdication. Democrats MK Efrat Rayten Marom directed the blame toward the Prime Minister, stating that responsibility for the catastrophe “lies squarely with Netanyahu,” and called the absence of any representative from the Prime Minister’s Office at the hearing “a disgrace.”
Committee chair and Yesh Atid MK Mickey Levy warned of the long-term impact on the public: “public trust will continue to erode” without a credible, independent inquiry.
Bereaved Families Vow Public Pressure
The rejection provoked immediate and visceral outrage among families of the victims. Reut Edri, whose son Ido was murdered at the Nova festival, stated unequivocally:
“There can be no revival [of the country] without responsibility and a real investigation.”
The October Council, which represents over 200 bereaved families, issued a scathing denouncement, accusing the ruling coalition of “burying the truth.” Declaring that “the grace period for the Knesset is over,” the council vowed to maintain public pressure until a state inquiry is established.
The government is reportedly considering a compromise: establishing and appointing its own panel to investigate the invasion and subsequent war, a move critics argue is an attempt to control the investigation into its own failures. This internal political maneuver directly opposes the will of the public, as recent polls indicate that a majority of Israelis support the establishment of an impartial state commission of inquiry.