Netanyahu Proposes Parliamentary Probe into Hamas Attack

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has moved to advance a specific format for investigating the security failures that resulted in the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023. The attack resulted in 1,200 deaths on Israeli territory. After delaying the creation of an investigative body for as long as possible, citing the war in Gaza, Netanyahu is now proposing a commission of inquiry attached to and supervised by the Parlamento (Parliament).

The proposal received approval during a first vote in the Legislative branch on Wednesday. This legislative action has generated significant anger and successfully unified the usually fragmented opposition. This unification includes parties from both the left and right wings, as well as the relatives of the victims of the attack. All these groups remain favorable to the creation of a traditional independent state commission, which is standard practice and would be led by the Suprema Corte (Supreme Court).

The Prime Minister is currently a defendant in three separate corruption trials in the country's justice system. Despite this, Netanyahu insists that he does not trust the national judicial system. He guarantees that his proposed commission will be independent, a view not shared by the majority of the public. According to the source, more than 70 percent of those surveyed in opinion polls believe the government's proposed commission will lack true independence.

Under the model proposed by the government, the six members of the committee would be chosen by members of Parliament. This Parliament is currently led by the coalition that supports the Prime Minister. Consequently, critics have denounced this setup as another maneuver by Netanyahu to avoid being held responsible for the events of October 7. They allege that the commission would lack the necessary impartiality to analyze the government's failure to prevent the Hamas attack.

The proposed commission has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders and the victims' families alike. Yair Golan, the leader of the Democratic Party, characterized the situation in stark terms. He stated, "This is not a conflict of interests, it is organized crime disguised as law. The man responsible for the greatest disaster in our history is not looking for answers, he is looking for an alibi."

Survivors of the attack and the families of the victims have launched a campaign against the government's proposed investigation. The Conselho de Outubro (October Council), which represents the families of the massacre victims, issued a harsh reaction. They stated, "The Israeli government continues to spit in the face of the grieving families, the freed hostages, the families of the hostages, the families of the victims, the residents of the South and the North, the reservists and all the citizens of Israel."

Family members have expressed specific concerns regarding the potential limitations of the parliamentary inquiry. Eyal Eshel, the father of Roni, a soldier killed at the Nahal Oz base on October 7, summarized what he views as the distorted function of the proposed commission. He noted that the same cabinet that was in power on October 7 would determine what topics would be discussed during the investigation.

Eshel's comment highlights the central fear among critics: that the investigation would be controlled by the very administration being investigated. This concern reinforces the opposition's demand for a commission led by the Supreme Court, ensuring that the body has the authority to investigate the government's actions without interference from the ruling coalition.