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Submarine Commission Summons Netanyahu and Chief of Staff for Testimony

The State Commission of Inquiry into the Submarine Affair will begin hearing witness testimonies in closed-door sessions starting November 1, 2026. The hearings will focus on personal warnings issued to several high-ranking officials regarding decision-making and potential irregularities in the multi-billion shekel procurement of submarines and naval vessels from the German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp.

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Submarine Commission Summons Netanyahu and Chief of Staff for Testimony — Illustration by baba

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What happened

01The State Commission of Inquiry into the Submarine Affair will begin closed-door witness testimonies on November 1, 2026.
02Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to testify before the commission on December 7, 2026.
03Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon are among five officials who received personal warning letters in June 2024.
04IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and former President Reuven Rivlin have also been summoned to testify in the hearings.
05Chief of Staff Zamir is not under suspicion and did not receive a personal warning letter from the commission.
06The inquiry focuses on decision-making and potential irregularities in purchasing submarines and warships from German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp.
07An initial report in January 2026 criticized the National Security Council for exceeding its authority and the Navy for providing misleading information.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to testify on December 7, 2026. Netanyahu is one of five officials who received personal warning letters from the commission in June 2024, indicating that the panel is considering conclusions that could affect them personally. While four of the warned officials have submitted witness lists to the commission, NEWSru Israel reported that Netanyahu has not done so.

Other prominent figures summoned to testify include IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, former President Reuven Rivlin, Navy Commander Eyal Harel, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, and former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen. Zamir, who is not among those who received warning letters, is not under suspicion in the affair.

Established in January 2022 and chaired by former Supreme Court President Asher Grunis, the commission released an initial report in January 2026. That report criticized institutional failures, stating that the National Security Council had exceeded its authority, the Navy had provided misleading information, and procurement decisions were made without proper strategic planning.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 7 newsrooms. Updated 14:21

Latest report: Ynet. Read Ynet’s original