Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly released his 55-page response to the State Comptroller’s investigation into the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, highlighting alleged intelligence and operational lapses while calling for a balanced, national commission to ensure accountability. In a televised address, Netanyahu said he had submitted detailed answers on December 25, 2025, after a four-hour questioning session by the Comptroller, covering security discussions and decision-making spanning 12 years—from Operation Protective Edge until the morning of October 7.

Netanyahu emphasized that six days after his submission, the High Court of Justice issued an interim and conditional order halting the Comptroller’s work. He suggested this timing was unusual, raising questions about possible interference, and urged the court to lift the order to allow former officeholders referenced in the transcripts to respond.

The Prime Minister stressed that the Comptroller’s probe, while thorough, is not a substitute for a commission of inquiry. He called for the establishment of a national, independent, and equitable commission modeled after the U.S. 9/11 Commission. In his proposal, half of the members would be appointed by opposition representatives and the other half by coalition members, ensuring transparency and preventing cover-ups. Netanyahu pledged to be the first to testify before such a commission, answering all questions and presenting all relevant documents.

Netanyahu’s address was framed as a call for public trust and democratic oversight. He emphasized that exposing all information—including security transcripts, internal deliberations, and prior conduct—was essential for reaching the truth and enabling national healing. The Prime Minister highlighted that his release of the full response, with sensitive sections redacted only for security reasons, was intended to allow citizens and parliamentarians to see the comprehensive record of events.

The speech underscores ongoing political tensions in Israel regarding accountability for intelligence failures leading up to the October 7 attacks, while presenting Netanyahu as advocating a transparent, legally structured process for investigation. By referencing global models of inquiry, the Prime Minister positioned the proposed commission as a mechanism to ensure fair scrutiny and maintain public confidence in Israel’s democratic institutions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

"Dear citizens of Israel,

I am certain that all of us want to reach the truth. The truth about the events of October 7 and what preceded them.

The document I am holding in my hand contains the answers I gave to the State Comptroller within the framework of the Comptroller’s investigation into the events of October 7.

The meeting took place in my office on December 25, 2025. For four consecutive hours, I answered the pointed questions of the Comptroller and his team.

On December 31, 2025, only six days after that meeting, in extraordinary timing, the High Court of Justice suddenly issued an interim order and a conditional order, and halted the work of the State Comptroller.

I want to emphasize to you: For almost two years, the Comptroller worked with complete freedom of action – without any intervention from the judicial system or anyone else.

But only six days after I submitted these answers – the High Court decided to accept the Attorney General’s request to immediately stop the Comptroller’s work, work intended to uncover the truth.

Is this a coincidence? I will say something simple – judge for yourselves.

Tonight, I am revealing to you, citizens of Israel, my complete response to the State Comptroller.

Certain sections that are sensitive from a security standpoint have been redacted, and authorized parties will be able to review them – as well as all the binders of documents that I am submitting to the Knesset Subcommittee on Intelligence.

I must tell you, with regard to the Knesset – when I presented the main points today in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and also in the Cabinet – there was astonishment among many. Because they were exposed to countless things that are completely the opposite of what they have been hearing in the media over the past two years.

This document includes transcripts of security discussions and many documents spanning 12 years, from Operation Protective Edge until the morning of October 7.

The Comptroller also asked me questions and I answered him, and I also addressed my own conduct and the decisions I made, and my conduct on that day, October 7.

One more thing – had the High Court not intervened and stopped the Comptroller’s investigation, all former officeholders would have received full access to all the materials and documents in the Comptroller’s possession, and thus they would have been able to respond to everything I present in this document. On the contrary, I want them to respond to these matters.

Therefore, it is now important to demand that the High Court immediately cancel the interim order and immediately renew the Comptroller’s investigation. Only then will the former officials who appear in the transcripts be able to be exposed to them and to the relevant documents.

But let it be clear: the Comptroller’s investigation does not constitute a substitute for a commission of inquiry. Therefore, we must advance the establishment of a national, equitable commission of inquiry – an independent commission that will represent all parts of the people.

Neither the High Court nor the government will determine the composition of the commission. The public, through its representatives, will determine the composition of the commission.

It will be a democratic and equitable commission. Half of its members will be chosen by opposition members and the other half by coalition members. There can be no cover-up, there can be no concealment – everyone must answer for everything.

This is exactly what was done in the United States after the September 11 disaster, and this is exactly how we must act after the October 7 disaster.

In the democratic and equitable commission we are proposing, every person will be able to ask any question of any officeholder and present any document to him. And I will be the first to appear before the members of the commission and answer everything.

My friends, my dear ones, citizens of Israel, only in this way will we ensure that all the information is exposed to the entire public. Only in this way will we be able to reach the truth, and only in this way will we be able to move on to the stage of healing and rehabilitation that we all long for."