Judge Grunis Steps Down as Submarine Committee Chair; Zylbertal Appointed Successor

Former Supreme Court President Acher Grunis has resigned from his position as chairman of the state commission of inquiry into naval vessels, citing medical reasons. He informed the current Supreme Court President, Yitzhak Amit, on Friday that his inability to participate in upcoming hearings would impede the committee's work. Consequently, Justice Amit appointed retired Supreme Court Justice Zvi Zylbertal to chair the committee and appointed Senior Judge Ruth Lore, former president of the Central District Court, as a new member. The remaining committee members, Prof. Karnit Flug, Gideon Frank, and Brig. Gen. (res.) Prof. Yaakov Bortman, will continue their roles.

In a statement, Justice Amit expressed deep appreciation for Grunis's dedicated work and wished him good health. He welcomed Zylbertal and Lore, expressing confidence in the committee's continued professional, independent, and thorough work. The committee recently announced the commencement of witness summonses for the second phase of its investigation, focusing on personal warnings, beginning November 1, 2026, with 22 witnesses to testify in closed sessions.

The committee's systemic report previously issued severe findings regarding procurement and equipping processes within the IDF, particularly the Navy. It noted that the cabinet acted as a "rubber stamp" for decisions made by the defense establishment and recommended establishing a permanent advisory committee to the political echelon on force buildup. The report also highlighted a lack of a professional body within the Ministry of Defense responsible for force buildup policy, with the ministry largely implementing IDF-generated decisions. To address this, the committee suggested transforming the planning division into a joint body for the Ministry of Defense and the IDF.

Furthermore, the report criticized the handling of arms sales by allies to third parties as chaotic and lacking direction, potentially endangering national security. It recommended establishing a process to ensure Israeli policy is formed after consulting professional bodies, including the IDF, and that Israel speaks with a unified voice. The committee also found that discussions and summaries with foreign entities were not documented, placing responsibility on Israeli representatives, including ministers and prime ministers, to record and disseminate such contacts. The National Security Council (NSC) was found to have failed in its duties and exceeded its authority, with its staff prohibited from executing decisions or engaging with commercial entities.

Finally, the committee found that the Navy had deviated from accepted norms in procurement and equipping for years, coordinating with commercial entities, presenting manipulated data, and having officers engage with the political echelon against military orders. The committee recommended the IDF Chief of Staff investigate the organizational culture and procurement processes in the Navy and update regulations regarding interactions between military officers and the political echelon.