From the Liveblog of
Sunday, February 9, 2025
Gafni: A state commission of inquiry would mean Netanyahu’s prime ministership is over
Moshe Gafni, head of the Knesset Finance Committee, has told bereaved families urging a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding Hamas’s October 7 invasion and slaughter that such a commission would mean the end of Benjamin Netanyahu’s prime ministership. A state commission is the most powerful investigative commission, and the only such body empowered to subpoena witnesses.
In remarks broadcast tonight by Channel 12 news from a meeting on Wednesday held by Gafni, of the ultra-Orthodox coalition party United Torah Judaism, he was asked by the families about his stance on the establishment of such a commission — which would be headed by a retired Supreme Court justice appointed by the current Supreme Court president — and which has been steadfastly opposed by Netanyahu.
Gafni is heard saying that those who oppose the establishment of a state inquiry imply that Israel’s top court bears responsibility for October 7 because they issued rulings “not to shoot and not to hit” — ostensibly hindering the fight against terrorism.
“That’s not true. The Supreme Court did not…,” says one of the participants.
Gafni stresses: “I’m not saying that it’s true.”
He goes on to say that in Netanyahu’s Likud party, they claim that since a judge would head a state inquiry, its result would be a foregone conclusion: “What a state commission of inquiry would mean is that Netanyahu goes home.”
Again, a participant responds, “Why would you say that? It’s not true?”
Gafni insists: “Because that’s the truth.”
A participant says: “Everyone has to tell the truth” before such a panel.
Says Gafni: “Let them.”
Says a participant: “Maybe that explains why they’re torpedoing a state commission of inquiry here. Because of the fear that he’ll [be required to] go home. Evidently, that’s the agenda.”
Says Gafni: “It’s good that you said that.”
He also tells the families that he doesn’t like the current coalition, but has “no alternative.”
