Likud MK Ze'ev Elkin
Photo: Yaron Sharon
Knesset committee launches Protective Edge probe
Chaired by MK Ze'ev Elkin, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee began its inquiry with the most senior official – Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee launched its inquiry into IDF Operation Protective Edge before the long-term ceasefire with Hamas came into effect last Tuesday.
Thus, for example, the Subcommittee for Intelligence and Secret Services, chaired by MK Yariv Levin, will investigate the intelligence branch and the estimates given by its members to cabinet ministers throughout the operation.
The chair of the committee, Likud MK Ze'ev Elkin, agreed with the heads of the subcommittees that various aspects of the probe – military, politics, strategy, and home front defense – will be conducted by the relevant subcommittee.
The benefit of having members of the subcommittees who have been party to deliberations before, during, and after the operation continue the probe is clear – they have been briefed by political and military leaders throughout the past campaign.
Defense Committee chair Elkin, during op (Photo: Ofer Meir)
Thus, for example, the Subcommittee for Intelligence and Secret Services, chaired by MK Yariv Levin, will investigate the intelligence branch and the estimates given by its members to cabinet ministers throughout the operation.
The Subcommittee for the State of Alert and Field Security will probe how well the IDF was prepared to handle the threat posed by terror tunnels, while the Subcommittee for Personnel in the IDF will determine the urgency of purchasing tanks and other armored vehicles.
The strategic aspects will be discussed in a joint committee – a "forum" – chaired by Elkin and the heads of the other subcommittees.
The joint committee's purview will include the work conducted by the subcommittees, according to a credible senior source in the Israeli parliament, who said it would be responsible for delegating the various aspects of the inquiry to assure none fall between the cracks.
This essentially means that the issues that deal with the conduct of the political leadership, the cabinet, and other strategic matters will be deliberated and examined in the joint committee in front of the assembled subcommittee chairs.
The joint committee began its work several days before the latest cease-fire and will continue its probe despite the Knesset recess – the first senior official to provide his testimony was none other than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, Ya'alon, and Gantz during op (Photo: Amit Shaabi)
On Tuesday, the committee will hear from the head of the National Security Council, Yossi Cohen, and IDF Military Intelligence Director Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, with the rest of the senior political and military establishment – including IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz – expected to provide testimony in the future.
Some of the senior officials will appear before certain subcommittees, with others scheduled to speak before the entire committee.
The joint committee is also expected to publish an interim report of its conclusions in January 2015 – in tandem with the end of the annual budget negotiations – meaning much of the inquiry will take place concurrently with the fierce deliberations on the 2015 defense budget.
MK Elkin, who alternates with Levin as chair of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, arrived at the conclusion, together with the subcommittee heads, that the interim report will bolster the defense discussions and will allow the committee to base its changes to the budget based on part of the lessons learned from the enquiry.
Meanwhile, senior members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee decided that there was no need to launch a separate inquiry committee or government probe into Operation Protective Edge, outside of the investigation conducted by the existing committee.
Judge Yosef Shapira, the state comptroller, announced that his department would handle any matter pertaining to international law regarding Israel's conduct – partially to prevent an investigation by international bodies, aside from the UN human rights committee probe which had already been announced.
Shapira also said they separately investigate the country's preparation to deal with the threat posed by the Gaza terror tunnels.
Levin and Elkin will switch roles again in January 2015, with Elkin slated to chair the important subcommittee on intelligence. Prime Minister Netanyahu had determined this round-robin arrangement – whereby the two MKs continue to switch roles.
