The commission said that it will soon publish unclassified parts of the evidence collected during the probe into the deal, worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
An Israeli commission investigating suspected wrongdoing in government purchases of submarines and missile boats from Germany warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
The panel notified Netanyahu that, based on evidence gathered thus far, the report could ultimately determine that he had used his position as prime minister between 2009 and 2016 to greenlight the purchases without due process.
“By doing so, he (Netanyahu) endangered the security of the state and harmed the state of Israel’s foreign relations and economic interests,” said the panel in its written decision, made public on Monday.
Netanyahu, in response, said that the submarines were central to Israel’s security “in ensuring its existence against Iran, which is trying to destroy us.”
“History will prove that Prime Minister Netanyahu was right on this issue as well and made the right decisions for the security of Israel,” the statement from his office said.
The commission, established under the previous government in 2022, said it will soon publish unclassified parts of the evidence collected during the probe into the deal, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The commission also warned various individuals who might be affected by its future findings, including former Defense Minister Bogie Ya’alon and former Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen.
What is the committee investigating?
The committee is examining the purchase of patrol boats, initially intended to protect gas rigs but later repurposed. The committee described the promotion of submarine purchases as causing a financial loss to the State of Israel estimated in the millions of shekels.
Additionally, the committee is investigating an attempt by Prime Minister Netanyahu to promote, through the National Security Council (NSC), the purchase of anti-submarine ships, which was blocked by the IDF and the Defense Ministry. The investigation also includes an attempt to privatize the Navy’s shipyards and an agreement to sell submarines to Egypt, which was handled in an “unorganized and disorderly manner.”
Committee’s interim findings
The committee announced that it has found “a deep disruption in work processes and decision-making mechanisms in a range of sensitive issues, creating a risk to national security and harming Israel’s foreign relations and economic interests.”
Who received warnings, and why?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a warning because he might face consequences if the committee concludes that he made critical decisions regarding national security and IDF force building without a proper process, endangering national security and harming foreign relations and economic interests.
The committee might also conclude that Netanyahu reached agreements with Germany on various political, security, and economic issues without documentation and by bypassing the government.
Additionally, it is possible that Netanyahu turned the NSC into an executive body of the Prime Minister, operating parallel and in contradiction to the Ministry of Defense in areas under the Ministry of Defense’s responsibility and expertise.
Former Defense Minister Bogie Ya’alon was warned that the committee might conclude that he acted against government decisions regarding purchasing patrol boats. Before the High Court of Justice, he declared that holding a sixth submarine threatened national security and that the decision to purchase it was made without necessity. However, while in government, Ya’alon supported the submarine purchase.
Former Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen was warned that the committee might conclude that his conduct as head of the NSC during the submarine affair led to a deep disruption in work processes and force building and damaged decision-making mechanisms in sensitive issues. In the committee’s view, Cohen endangered national security and harmed Israel’s foreign relations and economic interests.
Additionally, former Navy Commander Ram Rothenberg and senior NSC official Avner Shimhoni received warnings.
Significance of the warnings
At this stage, the committee is moving towards formulating conclusions, but these are not yet the final results. The warned individuals must decide whether to appoint a lawyer and appear before the committee to defend themselves against its conclusions. They can present evidence in their favor to the committee and have the right to access all the evidence the committee holds.
The committee is now awaiting the warned individuals’ decisions. They will likely decide to try and defend themselves. After hearing their testimonies, the committee will proceed toward a final report presenting its final conclusions. It should be noted that the committee’s conclusions published in the report mainly have public implications. There might be a criminal investigation if the report concludes that one of the warned individuals committed a criminal offense. Still, it is important to remember that the law explicitly states: “The report of an inquiry commission shall not serve as evidence in any legal proceeding,” whether criminal or civil.