Middle East & North Africa
Israel’s submarine affair: Netanyahu to testify before the state commission of inquiry on December 7
Israel’s state commission of inquiry into the submarines and warships affair announced that testimony on the personal warning letters it sent begins on November 1, and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to testify on December 7, behind closed doors.
Israel’s state commission of inquiry into the submarines and warships affair announced on Wednesday, October 21, that from November 1 it will begin hearing testimony on the personal warning letters it sent to officials who took part in the procurement decisions. According to the timetable published by the commission, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to testify on December 7. The sessions will be held behind closed doors, reports Arutz Sheva.
Called to testify along with Netanyahu are Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Navy commander Vice Adm. Eyal Harel and former President Reuven Rivlin. Zamir’s summons does not mean he is under suspicion. The list also includes Yaakov Amidror, Amos Gilad, Yaakov Nagel and Dan Harel, among others. That this phase would begin in November was known since July, but the list of witnesses had not been announced.
The commission, chaired by former Supreme Court president Asher Grunis, had sent warning letters to five people: Netanyahu, former defence minister and army chief Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon, former Mossad head Yossi Cohen, former Navy commander Ram Rothberg and Avner Simchoni.
The affair concerns a series of decisions on buying submarines and warships for the Israeli Navy from the German group thyssenkrupp. At its centre are the purchase of three submarines, worth about €1.5 billion, and of the Sa’ar 6 corvettes, worth about €430 million. The commission is examining, among other things, the changes in the submarine procurement plans, the enlargement of the fleet, the supplier selection process and the approval given to Germany to sell submarines to Egypt as well.
Alongside the commission, the affair was the subject of a criminal corruption investigation. Miki Ganor, thyssenkrupp’s representative in Israel, had signed a state’s witness agreement and later revoked it, claiming his confessions were extracted under pressure. In May 2021 charges were filed against several of those involved, including Ganor for bribery, while the court rejected his request to disregard his confessions.
The development comes days before the Israeli elections, with Netanyahu already in a dispute with Erdogan, whom he accused of dreaming of an Ottoman revival.
