Submarine inquiry panel meets for preparatory work after order to wait

Members of a commission of inquiry looking into the submarine acquisition scandal have convened, Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s office says in a statement, days after Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit ordered the panel to suspend its work until law enforcement concludes its own probe into the matter.

The statement says members Amnon Straschnov, Avraham Ben Shushan and Yisraela Friedman are meeting for talks on technical matters, such a timeline and securing sensitive information.

“The panel members are expected to conclude their logistical preparations later in the day in order to be ready to open expected hearings once guidelines from the attorney general are received,” the statement reads.

The establishment of the panel was seen as a challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused by other politicians of involvement in the bribery scandal. He was not charged in the case.

Gantz’s decision to allow the panel to meet despite Mandelblit’s order may be interpreted as a fresh crack against Netanyahu, with the Blue and White chief widely expected to back a motion to dissolve the Knesset and call early elections tomorrow, spelling the likely end of their power-sharing deal.