The Sovereignty Movement has called for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the Oslo Accords, arguing that Israel must examine the decisions that led to the agreements and the lessons that should be learned from them.
The demand was presented during a meeting of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee's subcommittee, chaired by MK Tzvi Succot, which focused on alleged violations of the Oslo Accords by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). According to the movement, representatives of government bodies, including the Civil Administration, the National Security Council, and the Defense Ministry, were unable to provide a comprehensive record of the alleged violations, leading participants to conclude that no official state body had systematically documented or addressed them over the past three decades.
Speaking after the discussion, Sovereignty Movement co-founder Nadia Matar said the findings underscored the need for a formal inquiry. She recalled opposing the Oslo process from its inception, when she and her late mother-in-law, Ruth Matar, founded the Women in Green movement to campaign against the accords. Following Israel's disengagement from Gush Katif, Matar and Yehudit Katzover established the Sovereignty Movement, advocating the extension of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria as an alternative political vision.
Matar argued that a commission of inquiry should examine not only how Israel came to sign the Oslo Accords but also why successive governments failed to halt the process after its shortcomings became apparent. She said the investigation should determine whether decision-makers had access to all relevant intelligence, whether warnings were adequately considered, and whether policy assessments proved accurate. According to Matar, the inquiry should include governments from across the political spectrum that continued implementing the agreements.
Rejecting claims that such an inquiry would be motivated by revenge, Matar said its purpose would be to help Israel learn from what she described as a historic failure. She compared the proposal to past state commissions that examined major national decisions, arguing that political leadership should also be subject to review when policies have long-term national consequences.
Matar said the commission should be composed of retired legal and security professionals and other respected public figures rather than Supreme Court judges. She maintained that Israel must move away from what she called the "Oslo spirit" and instead adopt a policy centered on Israeli sovereignty.
She also argued that Israel's approach to terrorism carries implications beyond its borders, saying that concessions to terrorist organizations send a message that is closely watched by other countries. A shift toward a policy of sovereignty and a firmer stance against terrorism, she said, would strengthen Israel and serve as an example internationally.
Addressing criticism that similar inquiries could be demanded into the settlement enterprise, Matar rejected the comparison. While saying that any group has the right to call for a commission of inquiry, she argued that Jewish settlement is a continuation of the Zionist project, whereas the Oslo process involved transferring territory and authority to Israel's adversaries.