Submarine affair commission sets November hearings for Netanyahu, senior officials

The state commission investigating the submarine and naval vessel affair will hold 18 closed hearings between November and December for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and four former senior officials to determine personal responsibility.

The state commission investigating the submarine and naval vessel affair has set November hearings for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and four former senior officials, moving the long-running inquiry toward its final report. The commission, chaired by retired Supreme Court president Asher Grunis, scheduled 18 closed hearing days between November 1 and December 31 for the five officials who received warning notices in June 2024. The officials are Netanyahu, former defense minister Moshe Ya'alon, former National Security Council chief Yossi Cohen, former Navy commander V.-Adm. Ram Rothberg, and former NSC official Avner Simchoni. The warning notices allow them to challenge evidence and argue against personal findings. The commission rejected Netanyahu's attorney's explanation for delay, noting the prime minister's lawyers could have begun reviewing materials earlier. The personal-responsibility stage has been delayed over two years due to parallel criminal proceedings. The commission previously published a report in January finding systemic failures, including governments avoiding clear national security priorities and the NSC overstepping its role. The November hearings will determine whether the five officials bear personal responsibility for the failures.