Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that any inquiry into the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack must examine decades of Israeli policy — including the Oslo Accords, the 2005 Gaza Disengagement, and the 2023 protests against judicial reforms.
His remarks came after a ministerial committee approved coalition backing for a controversial bill that would establish a politically appointed commission of inquiry, replacing the current system in which such commissions are appointed by the president of the Supreme Court.
The bill, introduced by Likud MK Ariel Kallner, would require approval by at least 80 Knesset members. If the opposition refuses to participate, the Knesset speaker could ultimately appoint the commission members — a clause critics say would give the coalition unchecked control.
Netanyahu defended the proposal, comparing it to the U.S. commission formed after the September 11 attacks, and argued that a politically balanced panel would gain broader public trust. He invited the opposition to question any issue — “including me.”
Opposition leaders were unconvinced. Yair Lapid accused the government of attempting to “bury the truth,” while Democrats chairman Yair Golan called the initiative an “admission of guilt.” Polls consistently show most Israelis favor a traditional state commission of inquiry.
Finance Minister Ze’ev Elkin was the only coalition minister to oppose the bill, warning that if the opposition boycotts the process, the inquiry would effectively become a government-controlled panel.
The debate has become a flashpoint in Israel’s broader struggle over accountability, responsibility, and public trust following the deadliest attack in the country’s history.
