MKs approve bill to establish national Oct. 7 commission of inquiry

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation, chaired by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, approved on Monday a proposal by MK Ariel Kallner to establish a “National Commission of Inquiry” into the October 7 massacre. The initiative, promoted by the coalition, is scheduled to be brought before the Knesset for a preliminary reading on Wednesday. Deputy Finance Minister Ze’ev Elkin opposed the proposal during the discussion.

Following the approval, a ministerial team led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to convene to determine the commission’s mandate, including which issues and decisions surrounding October 7 will be investigated.

The debate featured sharp criticism of the judiciary. Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs attacked Deputy Attorney General Avital Sompolinsky, saying, “I read the 17 pages she wrote. I didn’t find a single legal word in them.” Justice Minister Levin argued that the existing mechanism for establishing a commission should be replaced, citing what he described as a lack of public trust in the judiciary and in Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit, including concerns about his appointment.

Fuchs said the October 7 attacks constituted “an extraordinary event, the likes of which we have never seen in Israel,” comparing the need for a special investigative body to the US response after the September 11 attacks. He argued that a unique commission was essential for democracy and said it should be established through broad consensus, citing data he attributed to Amit showing that only about 20 percent of the public supports a traditional state commission of inquiry.

Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman said public confidence in the judiciary had eroded, claiming the system “brought it upon itself.” She argued that the judiciary should be the first body investigated and said the commission must include the voices of hostage families and bereaved families, while being balanced between coalition and opposition representatives.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said a new law was unnecessary and instead called for amending existing legislation to include a parity-based model. He rejected what he described as attempts by the judiciary to impose legal norms on the government, saying public trust in Supreme Court-led commissions had declined sharply. When Elkin questioned how the government would proceed if the opposition refused to cooperate, Chikli responded that the responsibility would lie with the opposition, while Elkin warned that a lack of cooperation would undermine public trust.

The discussion followed the granting of an exemption allowing Kallner’s bill to bypass the standard tabling requirement, enabling it to be brought quickly before the Knesset Presidium. The bill could be put to a preliminary vote as early as Wednesday, pending the return of ultra-Orthodox factions to coalition voting.

Meanwhile, members of the “October Council” announced plans for a week of protests demanding the establishment of a state commission of inquiry and opposing the coalition’s initiative. Former IDF Chief of Staff and MK Gadi Eisenkot criticized the proposal, writing that when members of the October 7 cabinet are involved in determining the commission’s mandate, “it is clear to everyone that the Israeli government is afraid of the truth and is trying to escape its responsibility.”