The Knesset passed a bill Monday in first reading to establish a national commission of inquiry to investigate the October 7 massacre. The coalition views the approval as a significant step in advancing the initiative, designed as an alternative to a traditional state commission of inquiry.
Under the bill, the commission would be established with broad consensus—requiring 80 Knesset members’ approval. If no such agreement is reached, a bipartisan commission would be appointed instead, composed of three representatives from the coalition and three from the opposition, based on the model of the American commission that investigated the September 11 attacks.
The bill grants the commission full investigative powers. It also stipulates that the commission’s proceedings will be broadcast to the public, and representatives of bereaved families will be given observer and oversight status over its work, aimed at increasing transparency and public trust in the process.
The coalition attaches special importance to passing the bill already in first reading, as it can now be subject to continuity provisions if the Knesset dissolves before completing the legislation. This means the legislative process could continue in the next Knesset without starting over.