Knesset Advances Bill for a National Commission of Inquiry Into October 7

The Knesset plenum approved in its first reading on Monday night a bill to establish a state commission of inquiry into the events of the October 7 massacre. Fifty nine members of Knesset supported the bill, with none opposed and no abstentions. Opposition members were absent from the vote, as was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The bill was transferred to the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee for discussion ahead of its preparation for the second and third readings.

Under the proposal, a commission of inquiry will be established to examine the events of October 7, 2023, and all the circumstances that led to them. At the end of its work, the commission will submit its conclusions to the Knesset Speaker and to the government.

The bill sets out a mechanism for appointing the commission members, primarily through broad agreement among 80 Knesset members. The commission will consist of six members, three from the coalition and three from the opposition. According to the proposal, the commission will be able to convene with a quorum of three members.

It also states that if no agreement is reached, the commission members will be appointed by the chair of the Knesset House Committee and the head of the opposition. In addition, the proposal says that released hostages or members of bereaved families will serve as observers on the commission, and that its proceedings will generally be held in public and broadcast to the public.

The bill’s sponsor, MK Ariel Kallner, said the goal of the law is “to ensure both the investigation of the truth and public trust in the commission.” According to him, the proposed mechanism would make it possible to establish a commission that could investigate any body involved in shaping the security policy that led to the events, while appointing its members through broad agreement or through an equal division between the coalition and the opposition.