From the Liveblog of
Sunday, October 19, 2025
Opposition parties demand PM attend Knesset debate on Oct. 7 state inquiry
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSam Sokol is a former political correspondent at The Times of Israel. 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"
In a joint statement, the leaders of the Knesset’s opposition parties announce that they have submitted a demand to hold a 40-signatures debate in the Knesset to discuss the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the failures of October 7.
A so-called 40-signatures debate is a Knesset discussion that the opposition can call once a month and that the prime minister is legally obliged to attend. It is usually called to discuss criticism of the government, its policies and legislative agenda.
“Two years after the national disaster of October 7, the government is still avoiding establishing a state commission of inquiry. With the end of the war, there are no more excuses — it is imperative to hold an independent and impartial inquiry that will examine the failures and restore public trust,” the opposition leadership writes to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.
“This is our duty to the abductees, the fighters, the bereaved families, and all citizens of Israel,” they assert.
The government has long resisted establishing a state commission of inquiry, with cabinet ministers first arguing that such an investigation was inappropriate during wartime and then claiming it would not be impartial because its members would be appointed by the liberal Supreme Court President Isaac Amit.
The Times of Israel Community.