Coalition votes down legislation on state Oct. 7 probe, annexation of Jordan Valley
Ministers express support in principle for annexing part of West Bank but say the process must involve US, and call opposition bill supported by Otzma Yehudit ‘just trolling’
Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

The coalition on Wednesday defeated an opposition bill in the Knesset calling for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7, 2023, also shooting down another opposition bill that sought to apply Israeli sovereignty in the Jordan Valley.
The call for a state commission of inquiry came after more than a year of pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to establish such a panel — an inquiry body that enjoys the broadest powers under law and is typically headed by a retired Supreme Court Justice.
Netanyahu has refused to do so, saying such probes should wait until the war is over, and also suggesting that a state commission is the wrong means of conducting one.
The bill to establish the commission, brought by National Unity MK Orit Farkash-Hacohen, was shot down 45-53 in the 120-seat body.
“To evade responsibility, the coalition today harmed Israel’s security, the bereaved families and the families of the hostages,” National Unity said in a statement following the vote.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party tweeted a list of MKs who oppose the measure, stating that they “once again spat in the faces of the bereaved families and the families of the hostages.”

Science Minister Gila Gamliel of Likud, opposing the bill, declared that the launching of a probe into the government’s failures on October 7 must wait until the end of the war “and not during the fighting” — though a ceasefire is currently in effect — and promoted the idea of an alternate commission composed of representatives chosen by both the coalition and opposition, echoing suggestions by the prime minister.
Critics allege Netanyahu seeks to establish a panel with fewer powers than a state commission, fearing a traditional inquiry will implicate him in the disaster.
Jordan Valley annexation fails
Also Wednesday, an opposition bill that would apply Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley — part of the West Bank — failed 32-56 in a preliminary reading, due to opposition by members of the government.
While the coalition opposed the bill, MK Itamar Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit party, which left the government this week, voted in favor.
Several members of Opposition Leader Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party also supported the measure, as did Benny Gantz’s National Unity party, while members of Netanyahu’s Likud party voted against it.

A source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel that National Unity supported the measure because control of the Jordan Valley is a “strategic asset” and it is certain to be part of Israel under any potential future Trump administration peace plan.
Yesh Atid gave its MKs free rein to vote as they wished.
Hawkish Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman wrote on X following the bill’s failure, “How symbolic. The government of the [Haredi draft] evasion law is overturning the applying-sovereignty law.”
A bill to annex the West Bank brought by Yisrael Beytenu in March 2023 was also defeated by the government.
‘This is just trolling’
Netanyahu’s hardline, right-wing government opposed the Jordan Valley bill on Wednesday despite broadly supporting annexation of the area, if not larger parts of the West Bank.
Asked why he opposed the bill, Religious Zionism MK Ohad Tal said, “Sovereignty must be applied after organized work in cooperation with the government, not by law in the Knesset,” and added, “This is just trolling.”
“This is not really a serious proposal,” a Likud party spokesman stated, arguing that annexation “needs to be done in the right way and not just through a meaningless populist proposal.”
“We can’t vote for it just because it’s right,” agreed Likud MK Tally Gotliv. “We need to do it in a way that is reasonable and at the right time,” and in cooperation with the United States.

“The opposition’s decision to push populist bills without conducting the necessary groundwork is nothing more than a political stunt,” Likud MK Dan Illouz told The Times of Israel.
“With President Trump reelected, we have a historic opportunity to advance Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, but it must be done wisely. Rushing ahead with symbolic legislation that has no chance of progressing beyond a preliminary reading only weakens our cause and undermines Israel’s ability to act decisively,” he said.
US President Donald Trump, who returned to the White House on Monday for his second, non-consecutive term, reversed sanctions imposed by the Biden administration against violent West Bank settlers as one of his first acts in office.
Government ministers have previously expressed hope that Trump, who in his first term as president moved the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, will this time provide Israel the opportunity to advance annexation in the West Bank — though former officials who worked for Trump in his first term have warned that assumption may be premature.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.