Justice Minister Yariv Levin has been appointed to chair the ministerial committee tasked with formulating the mandate for the inquiry committee investigating the failures surrounding the October 7 massacre.
The committee will include Ministers Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, Ze’ev Elkin, Avi Dichter, Gila Gamliel, Orit Strock, Amichai Eliyahu, and Amichai Chikli.
During Sunday’s cabinet meeting, the government resolved to move forward with the establishment of an “independent” inquiry committee, granting it broad authority and aiming to ensure its composition enjoys “the widest possible public consensus.”
According to the decision, the ministerial committee will have 45 days to define the scope and timeline of the investigation, after which it will submit its recommendations for government approval.
In recent weeks, Supreme Court justices have emphasized in various rulings the need for a committee with far-reaching investigative powers. Despite this, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to oppose the formation of a formal state commission of inquiry, which - by law - must be established by the President of the Supreme Court.
Addressing opposition demands during a Knesset debate initiated by 40 MKs, Netanyahu rejected the call for a state commission, saying it lacks broad public support.
“The question isn’t just what is being investigated, or who is being investigated,” he said. “The question is who investigates the truth. The opposition demands a state commission, but at the same time, you know that a large portion of the public will not accept the composition of investigators you propose.”