Knesset subcommittee to vote for release of Protective Edge report
A subcommittee within the State Control Committee is expected to vote in favor of releasing the findings of the comptroller's report on Operation Protective Edge to the public; report is expected to be critical of the cabinet and government before and during the summer 2014 campaign.
The subcommittee is made of five members of Knesset including three from the governing coalition and two members of the opposition.
Despite a coalition majority on the subcommittee, it was revealed that members intend to vote to release the report and its findings to the public, as coalition considerations were not being taken into consideration.
"I am committed only to the bereaved families," said committee member MK Merav Ben Ari. "This is the only consideration that guides me in the vote and I think there is public interest and great importance to the publication of the report."
Ben Ari's statements indicate a majority in favor of publication as the two opposition members are also expected to vote for publishing the report as well.
This Tuesday, the subcommittee will also discuss sensitive matters related to the report, including the conduct of the cabinet before and during the operation.
The family of Lt. Hadar Goldin, who was kidnapped by Hamas in a Rafah tunnel during fighting, joined the demand of bereaved families to publish the report and called on the government to remove its objections to full publication of the comptroller's report.
"Everyone already knows that the government's favorite sentence 'the Israeli government is doing everything in its power,' is meaningless," the family said in a statement. "For two and a half years the Israeli government is abandoning Hadar and Oron (Shaul, another soldier whose body was snatched by Hamas) in Gaza and not doing anything for their return. We remind (Prime Minister) Netanyahu that Operation Protective Edge isn't over as long as Hadar and Oron are being held."
