"An issue of vital public importance that needs clarification": the wording of the decision on a committee of inquiry into the submarine affair

Under the resolution, which will be tabled at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, the committee set up will be empowered to investigate the decision-making and decision-making processes of the political echelon in procurement and vessel transactions.

The committee will hold its deliberations behind closed doors and will not publish minutes.

It is still unclear whether Bennett will vote in favor of the proposal

His dew

20/01/2022

Thursday, 20 January 2022, 07:56 Updated: 08:04

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In the video: Ganz submits to the government the proposal to a committee of inquiry into the submarine affair (Photo: Ministry of Defense)

"The processes related to the procurement and transaction of vessels between the two 2009-2016 are a matter of vital public importance at a time that requires clarification":

The decision, by Defense Minister Bnei Gantz, sets out the mandate of the State Commission of Inquiry to be established, and authorizes it to investigate the decision-making and decision-making processes of the political echelon regarding procurement and vessel transactions, and "give its opinion on existing procedures in these matters" including their involvement Of former security officers and senior officials as intermediaries in large security transactions.

"The strategic political and security importance of these procurement procedures as well as the enormous economic equivalents justify examining the events in order to formulate future procedures that will ensure proper decision-making while maintaining the integrity of the procedures and moral purity," read the explanatory memorandum co-sponsored by Ganzi and Prime Minister The decision is expected to have a majority of cabinet ministers, but it is still unclear how Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and right-wing ministers, who previously opposed the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the submarine affair, will vote.

The decision states that the State Commission of Inquiry, in accordance with the law, will be headed by an incumbent or retired Supreme or District Judge, appointed by the President of the Supreme Court, as well as the rest of its members.

The committee will be allowed to summon witnesses, force them to appear, and issue search warrants, but the decision states that, as a rule, the committee should hold its hearings behind closed doors, and not publish its minutes and "unless the hearings include confidential information or information classified." At each level of classification.

The final report to be formulated by the committee will also be subject to the same rules of classification and confidentiality, which will be determined in coordination with the Ministry of Defense; the report will be submitted to members of the government and members of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

At the same time, the decision does not set a deadline and only requests that the report be submitted "as soon as possible".

More on Walla!

Against the background of the plea deal: The government will not vote today on the establishment of a commission of inquiry into the submarine affair

To the full article

"An issue of vital public importance that needs clarification."

Protest against the submarine affair, December 2020 (Photo: Official website, Roni Alfandari)

The decision details the specific procurement procedures that the committee is asked to examine: 1. Purchase of assault ships 2. Purchase of submarines 3. Purchase of anti-submarine ships 4. Privatization of Navy ships 5. Consent to sell third party submarines (Egypt).

"The committee will determine findings and conclusions regarding all aspects related to the conduct of decision-makers at the political level in the said processes, including the working interfaces and cooperation between them and the defense system, including various policy decisions that accompany these processes and conduct vis-à-vis external parties."

Since some of those involved in the submarine case are indicted, the decision clarifies that the commission will not investigate the conduct of defendants in criminal proceedings and will not make findings or recommendations in their case, and that in any case the witnesses in the criminal proceedings will be summoned to appear before the commission.

The budget cost of the committee, according to the decision-makers' proposal, is NIS 9 million - 7 from the Ministry of Defense budget and NIS 2 million from the Ministry of Justice.

For the benefit of the committee's activities, 8 manpower standards will be assigned to the administration of the courts.

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