Two years later
Government Approves Specialized October 7 Investigation
The Government voted Monday to establish a specialized investigative committee to research the failures of October 7th, bypassing the usual format for government inquiries. The move is controversial, and bereaved families have threatened "a week of war."
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a controversial bill on Monday to establish a politically appointed investigative commission into the failures surrounding the October 7 Hamas attack, advancing a government-backed alternative to a state commission of inquiry. The decision clears the way for the legislation to be brought to the Knesset plenum for a preliminary vote on Wednesday.
The bill, sponsored by Likud MK Ariel Kallner and backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, proposes the creation of a non-mandatory investigative body whose members would be selected through a political process rather than appointed by the judiciary, as required for a state commission of inquiry under existing law. Netanyahu and his allies have long opposed a state commission, arguing that the judicial system lacks public trust.
Under the proposed framework, a six-member committee and its chair would be appointed by an 80-member Knesset supermajority. If no agreement is reached within two weeks, the coalition and opposition would each appoint three members. In addition, the proposal includes representatives of bereaved families in a supervisory capacity. A central and contentious clause stipulates that if cooperation between the coalition and opposition collapses, the Knesset speaker would select the remaining members, effectively granting the coalition decisive influence over the committee’s composition.
New Hope minister Ze’ev Elkin was the only member of the ministerial committee to vote against the bill. According to reports, his opposition focused on the speaker appointment clause, which he warned undermines the appearance and substance of independence in the investigative process.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara sharply criticized the legislation, describing it as “tailor-made” for the personal needs of the government. She also questioned the legal authority of a separate ministerial forum established to determine the mandate of the proposed commission, noting that such forums operate only in conjunction with a state commission formally established under existing law.
Supporters of the bill argue that a state commission of inquiry would be politically biased, claiming that judicial appointment of investigators would predetermine conclusions. Likud MK Osher Shekalim said the push for a state inquiry is aimed at forcing responsibility onto the prime minister and removing him from political life.
Opposition lawmakers rejected that claim. National Unity leader Benny Gantz said that any alternative to a state commission damages public trust and accountability, adding that he is prepared to be investigated under a lawful state inquiry.
The bill’s advancement sets the stage for a divisive debate in the Knesset over accountability for the failures surrounding the deadliest attack in Israel’s history.