The leaders of the "October Council" are holding a press conference in Tel Aviv at noon (Sunday) ahead of the vote next Wednesday in the Knesset in a preliminary reading of the bill by MK Ariel Kallner (Likud) to establish a political and non-state investigative committee into the failings of the October 7 massacre.
Rafi Ben-Shitrit, former mayor of Beit Shean and father of Staff sergeant Shimon Alroy Ben Shitrit z"l, who fell in the battle at Nahal Oz on October 7, said at the press conference that "the government will submit a bill to establish an investigative committee whose sole purpose is to absolve the political echelon from its responsibility for the greatest disaster in the history of the state. This is not a law, it is a smokescreen and a continuation of the campaign of trolling and confusion. This is a pathetic and embarrassing attempt, and to a large extent, abject, to replace a real and professional state investigation committee with a political and corrupt investigation."
Shtrit tore up a page with the bill establishing the committee. "The purpose of the law is to silence criticism, to hide evidence, to contaminate the investigation, to evade responsibility, to engineer the consciousness of the masses and to obscure the significant role of the government that took the helm on the day of the massacre. I am addressing the government ministers and members of the coalition. Do you think the public will swallow this deception? In this treacherous move of yours, you are desecrating the memory of the murdered and the martyred. We will not allow you to pass on this joke."
John Polin, the father of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was kidnapped from the "death shelter" and murdered in captivity in Rafah alongside five other hostages last year, noted that "fortunately, here in Israel there is no need to invent a new model for investigating a national disaster. We have the Commissions of Inquiry Act of 1968, and for 57 years we have known exactly how to establish and operate a national commission of inquiry," he said.
"I support the establishment of a national commission of inquiry not to punish anyone, and not because it will bring back my only son. I support a national commission of inquiry so that nothing that happened to my son can ever happen to your son, or your son, or your son," he added.
Polin mentioned how the US conducted the investigation of the September 11 disaster. "President Bush showed courage and understood that a credible report is an essential element in strengthening national security and national defense. The September 11 Commission report is considered one of the most successful and credible public documents ever published in the United States."
Adi Zakuto, whose father was murdered in Ofakim on October 7, addressed the Knesset members and the government: "How is it possible that after almost two years, none of you have told us what really happened. How is it that no one has yet given the families a single real answer. How is it that such a national disaster, a disaster that shook the very existence of the state, has not been investigated to this day?
I lost my father because the state failed. We will find out who is responsible for this," she continued. "But for the lawlessness that followed this disaster, you are personally responsible. I demand of you, in the name of my father and in the name of all those murdered: Do not hide behind politics, do not hide behind slogans, do not let our pain remain unanswered. Look down and establish a national commission of inquiry."
Shimon Buskila, whose son Yarden was murdered in the massacre, said: "My Yarden was a great light. A light that was extinguished with unbelievable cruelty. Since that night, every day of mine begins and ends with just one question - how did this happen and why has no one really investigated yet. I am addressing all 120 members of the Knesset. Look into my eyes. Through my eyes you will see Yarden's eyes. Look into the eyes of thousands of children, siblings, parents and spouses who have not returned home. Look into the eyes of an entire people who have been waiting for two years to receive one simple answer: Who is responsible? This week is your moment of truth, not ours. We have already paid for our truth with blood." Eyal Eshel, father of observer Roni Eshel who fell on October 7, concluded: "I don't want the next Eyal Eshel to sit here. You are a bunch of cowards. Cheap politics at the expense of security."