Moshe Ya'alon and Benjamin Netanyahu
Moshe Ya'alon and Benjamin NetanyahuYonatan Sindel/Flash90

The State Commission of Inquiry into the Submarine Affair, in which senior officials are accused of taking bribes to push a deal to purchase submarines, sent warnings on Monday to officials who may be hurt by the inquiry.

The commission sent warnings to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense and Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon, former Mossad Director Yossi Cohen, former commanding officer of the Navy Ram Rothberg, and former National Security Council employee Avner Simhoni.

The commission is charging Netanyahu with harm to state security, deep and systematic disruption of work processes, and harm to Israel's foreign relations and economic interests.

The commission wrote that Ya'alon "dealt with a sensitive diplomatic, defense, and professional issue without a systematic examination of the relevant considerations," and that he hid the issue from the relevant parties while creating a false representation for the defense establishment, despite ignoring warnings. It further noted that actions taken against the government's stance caused diplomatic embarrassment.

The Prime Minister's Office commented on the warning: "Prime Minister Netanyahu determined that the submarines are a central pillar of Israel's national security and in ensuring its existence against Iran, which is trying to destroy us. Not only does the acquisition of the submarines not harm the security of the state – it ensures its existence. History will prove that Prime Minister Netanyahu was right on this issue as well and made the right decisions for the security of Israel."

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Moshe Ya'alon was one of the more vocal opponents of the Submarine Affair, writing in the past: "I said in the past and I will say it again - the purchase of submarines and ships from the ThyssenKrupp shipyards, is the worst corruption scandal since the foundation of the state."

He added: "Netanyahu's confidants are being indicted and he didn't know? The questions I asked the Attorney General in November 2018, after the police completed their investigation, have still not been answered."