Said Amori and Tarek Chouiref
12 July 2026•Update: 12 July 2026
Around 1,000 Israelis rallied Saturday in central Tel Aviv against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, demanding an independent state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.
Israeli media, including the Haaretz and Yedioth Ahronoth newspapers, said protesters gathered at Habima Square to criticize the government’s handling of political and security affairs.
One demonstrator said an official commission of inquiry was “the right way to build a new reality in Israel,” according to Haaretz.
She accused the government of “arrogance and narcissism,” saying it showed contempt for its citizens and, amid one of Israel’s most consequential wars, remained focused on pushing controversial legislation, fueling division and securing its own political survival.
The protest came days after the Knesset gave preliminary approval to a bill establishing a politically appointed commission to investigate the Oct. 7 attacks that killed about 1,200 in Israel and led to a genocide in the Gaza Strip by Israel that has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and nearly 1,100 since a ceasefire was established last October, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. There were 59 lawmakers voting in favor and none against. Opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote, arguing that the government should not have a role in selecting members of a body tasked with investigating its own conduct.
Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected demands for an independent state commission of inquiry with broad legal powers, while backing a political panel whose composition and mandate would be influenced by the government.
The Israeli military, meanwhile, has released findings from internal investigations acknowledging failures in its core mission to protect Israelis during the Oct. 7 attacks. The probes cited intelligence and operational shortcomings, along with flawed assessments of the capabilities and intentions of Palestinian factions.
The findings prompted the resignation of several senior commanders, including former Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, while other officers were dismissed or disciplined for their roles in the failures before and during the attacks.
Israeli cities have witnessed months of recurring demonstrations demanding an inquiry into the attacks and accountability for political and security leaders.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Netanyahu and his now-former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
