Submarine Affair: Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Summoned to Testify
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Israel's state commission of inquiry into the submarine affair will begin hearing testimonies on November 1, with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled to testify on December 7. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, not a suspect, will also testify, as will former President Reuven Rivlin. The investigation centers on allegations of bid rigging, conflicts of interest, and bribery in multi-billion shekel deals for submarines and naval vessels from Germany.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- The state commission of inquiry into the submarine affair begins hearing testimonies on November 1.
- Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to testify on December 7.
- Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, not a suspect, will also provide testimony.
- The investigation concerns allegations of corruption in multi-billion shekel naval procurement deals.
- A former ThyssenKrupp representative's state witness testimony was deemed admissible evidence.
- Former President Reuven Rivlin is also scheduled to testify before the commission.
The state commission of inquiry into the submarine affair will begin hearing witness testimonies on November 1, focusing on individual warnings issued to key figures. Among those who received personal warning letters are former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, Yossi Cohen, Ram Rotberg, and Avner Shimoni. Netanyahu is scheduled to testify on December 7.
In addition to Netanyahu, Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who is not a suspect in the case, is also slated to provide testimony in November and December. Former President Reuven Rivlin will also be heard. The commission's proceedings are expected to be held behind closed doors.
The submarine affair, first exposed on the program "HaMekor," concerns the procurement of submarines and naval vessels from Germany. Allegations include bid rigging, conflicts of interest, and bribery to advance multi-billion shekel deals. The core claims suggest that the financial interests of intermediaries and the German manufacturer ThyssenKrupp influenced Israel's most sensitive decisions, overriding professional and security considerations.
Central to the investigation are two major deals: the acquisition of three new submarines for approximately 1.5 billion euros and the purchase of Sa'ar 6 missile ships for about 430 million euros. These deals involved the cancellation of an international tender in favor of direct negotiations with German shipyards. The inquiry also examines the controversial approval for Israel to allow Germany to sell similar submarines to Egypt, raising concerns about compromising Israel's qualitative military edge.
During the investigation, Miki Ganor, a former representative of ThyssenKrupp, signed a state witness agreement, implicating himself and others in corruption offenses. Indictments were filed in May 2021 against several individuals involved, including Ganor for bribery. Ganor later attempted to retract his state witness testimony, claiming he was coerced into providing false statements due to pressure from the police and prosecution. However, after an extensive pre-trial hearing lasting two years, his claims were rejected, and his police admissions were deemed admissible as evidence.
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