Israeli parliament advances bill for inquiry into Oct 7 failures

Israel's parliament, the Knesset, has approved a bill in its first reading to establish a commission of inquiry into the security failures that preceded the October 7 Hamas attack. The bill passed with 59 votes in favor, with no votes against or abstentions. However, opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote, advocating for a different type of commission that is independent and not appointed by politicians.

The proposed legislation aims to conduct a "full, thorough, and independent investigation" into the events of October 7 and the subsequent wars. Under the bill, the commission would comprise six members, appointed through a two-thirds majority of Knesset members. If an agreement cannot be reached, the ruling coalition and opposition lawmakers would each appoint three members. The bill also stipulates that former hostages or bereaved family members would serve as observers, and the commission's deliberations would be publicly broadcast.

Ariel Kallner, a Likud party lawmaker and initiator of the legislation, defended the proposed bipartisan composition, stating it would help uncover the truth and maintain public trust. Conversely, opposition figures, including opposition leader Yair Lapid, have labeled the proposed commission a "sham" and a "whitewash," vowing to boycott it. They have long called for an independent state commission of inquiry, a mechanism historically used by Israel for investigating major national failures, with members appointed by the president of the Supreme Court.

Opinion polls indicate a majority of Israelis support an independent state commission. The bill is set to return to the Knesset Constitution Committee for further discussion before final readings, expected next week.