State Comptroller Criticizes IDF Investigations, Signals Need for Independent Inquiry

Addressing the Knesset State Control Committee, State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman asserted that the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) internal investigations into the failures of October 7 fail to present a comprehensive account of events. He announced plans to rel

ease a detailed report that could serve as the foundation for establishing a state commission of inquiry.

A state commission of inquiry can be formed either by the government or by the State Control Committee, contingent upon the submission of a report by the state comptroller. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes such a commission, and given the coalition’s majority within the committee, it is unlikely to advance.

Englman informed the committee that his forthcoming report would deliver a “sharp critique,” assigning “personal responsibility” to those accountable for significant “shortcomings and failures” across political, military, and civilian sectors. While his findings do not inherently mandate the establishment of a commission, he emphasized that committee members have the authority to act based on his report.

He further noted that the release of his report had been delayed due to opposition from the IDF and the Shin Bet security service. He referenced a June 2024 High Court interim injunction that ordered him to suspend portions of his investigation involving these entities. Englman has repeatedly criticized both organizations for their lack of cooperation, accusing the military of “intimidating” senior officers who provided testimony to his office.

This week, the IDF released a series of reports detailing its own internal assessments of the October 7 failures, which were subsequently presented to the comptroller. While acknowledging their significance, Englman maintained that these reports remain inherently limited in scope, as they primarily focus on the military’s perspective and do not offer a holistic view of the failures that occurred.

“This only reinforces the necessity of conducting a comprehensive audit of the root causes of the failure,” he stated, underscoring that his office is the “only body” capable of coordinating an investigation spanning multiple governmental and security agencies.

Englman also called on Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to mandate full cooperation from the IDF and Shin Bet with his probe.