The government told the High Court of Justice on Wednesday that it should not issue a ruling on petitions asking that it order the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023, catastrophe before the upcoming elections, since the issue is politically sensitive.

The government, in its update to the High Court, said it did not succeed in passing its legislation for the establishment of a politically appointed inquiry into the Hamas invasion and atrocities — which it sought to create instead of a state commission appointed by the Supreme Court chief, which surveys have shown is the public’s preferred option — due to legislative time constraints before the Knesset was dissolved last week.

Should the court acquiesce to the government’s request, it would mean that at least three years will have elapsed since the Hamas-led massacre before any form of inquiry is established into the unprecedented security and intelligence disaster of October 7.

“The way in which the [October 7] events are investigated is at the heart of a political argument between the parties standing for election,” the government told the High Court.

“For these reasons, it is not appropriate that the court issue a ruling on this issue or intervene over it at this stage,” the update continued, adding that the government, in principle, holds that the court has no authority to order it to establish a state commission of inquiry.

The government noted that it has passed its legislation for a politically appointed inquiry in a first reading, and that it intends to approve the bill in its final readings should it be able to form a new government after the upcoming election.

The first of the three readings on the proposed legislation passed 59-0, as opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote. The opposition boycotted the........

© The Times of Israel