The IDF, Shin Bet, and police each carried out internal probes into the failure to stop the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. Many Israelis, however, expected the government to establish an independent commission of inquiry akin to the one formed after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly blocked such efforts—initially arguing that an inquiry was inappropriate while the war was ongoing. Even after a ceasefire with Hamas took effect, he continued to oppose it, widely seen as stemming from concerns that a commission would hold him personally accountable. Netanyahu also argued that a commission appointed, as required by law, by the president of the Supreme Court would be biased against him, given his judicial overhaul efforts and what he described as the public’s lack of confidence in the court. Several cabinet ministers also argued that Supreme Court President Isaac Amit could not be trusted to appoint a fair-minded judge or retired judge to head the panel.
On October 15, the Supreme Court ruled that there is “no real argument” against the formation of a state commission of inquiry, in response to petitions demanding its creation. The court ordered the government to provide an update within 30 days on “the fate” of the commission’s establishment.
On October 22, 2025, the Knesset State Control Committee voted down a proposal to establish a state commission of inquiry. Netanyahu’s coalition held a two-member majority on the committee, ensuring its defeat. His Knesset allies subsequently introduced legislation to establish a commission comprising six members. Lawmakers would be given a limited period to reach a supermajority agreement on all appointments. If no agreement were reached, the coalition and opposition would each appoint three members, with the Knesset speaker empowered to fill opposition slots if cooperation failed. Netanyahu insisted that, with representatives from both his supporters and opponents, a fair investigation could be conducted. He argues his proposal reflects a “broad consensus” and is “the only way the truth will come to light,” calling it an “egalitarian commission” in which “no side will have any advantage.”
Public opinion polls show a majority of Israelis favor a state commission. Opposition leader Yair Lapid charged that “the whole purpose of this bill is to help the prime minister duck responsibility,” adding, “The opposition will not cooperate with this shameful farce.”
President Isaac Herzog sharply criticized the government’s move to create a politically appointed probe, calling for an independent state commission of inquiry. Herzog argued that national recovery requires confronting past failures through a full, lawful, and nonpartisan investigation under Israel’s Commissions of Inquiry law. He warned that including political figures—particularly in an election year—would undermine public trust and deny grieving families the answers they deserve.
Victims’ families strongly oppose the government’s approach: more than 200 signed a letter warning, “Without a true investigation, we cannot guarantee the disaster of Oct. 7 will never happen again.”
Table of Contents for the Israel-Hamas War
Bibliography and Photo Credits
About Mitchell Bard