October 7 inquiry divides parties ahead of 2026 elections
Religious Zionism demands a 'national' commission; opposition parties unite behind a state commission of inquiry.
October 7 inquiry divides parties ahead of 2026 elections — With the October 27, 2026 elections approaching, ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth surveyed party positions on the desired framework for investigating the October 7 massacre, in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were murdered[^1]. Religious Zionism, led by Bezalel Smotrich, was the only coalition party to provide a detailed response: it supports a "national, independent, true, and fair" commission of inquiry and strongly opposes a state commission, which it calls "a whitewashed name for a one-sided and biased commission."[^1] The opposition (Yashar!, Together, The Democrats, Yisrael Beiteinu, Blue and White) commits to establishing a state commission of inquiry immediately upon forming the government[^1]. Amcha Yisrael and Zehut proposed alternative frameworks[^1]. The divide over inquiry format reflects a deeper political fracture. Meanwhile, former head of the Hostage Headquarters Nitzan Alon claims that all hostages could have been released a year earlier while preserving the war's achievements. C14 outlet pushes back, arguing Alon leaves the facts behind. A separate piece from c14 titled "Admaker: 'Because of Nitzan Alon, the war was prolonged'" further disputes his narrative. The dilemma of continuing the war for military gains versus releasing hostages earlier remains unresolved. Ben Caspit, writing in Maariv, argues that the security failure that allowed a radical Omani pilot to fly Israelis to Dubai and attempt to bring down the plane is the result of ongoing neglect[^2]. The co-pilot, Mamam al-Hamami, 29, attempted to hijack the plane and dive into the ground over Saudi skies[^2]. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Captain Smith Macher, the pilot of the terror plane from Dubai, and called him "a hero of Israel." The incident raises questions about systemic security gaps that predate the current political cycle. North Korea missile, Iran expulsions, and global protests converge — North Korea launched a ballistic missile from the Wonsan area at around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, 2026, flying more than 700 kilometers before landing in the sea off its east coast, according to South Korea and J