Yarden Bibas, survived over 500 days as a Prisoner of War in Gaza, only to return and eventually find out that his wife Shiri (32) and boys Ariel and Kfir had been slaughtered in captivity by Gazans who used their bare hands. Yarden sent a letter to Netanyahu, delivered during the Knesset session yesterday. See below:
Bereaved parents were also violently prevented from entering the Knesset observation gallery. Some parents were injured in the scuffle, while others were eventually allowed into the sound-proof observation room, called the gallery.
The Israeli Knesset was modeled after the British style of Parliament, and both have plenty of shouting and arguing between their parliament members. Evidently if the public gallery were not soundproofed, the shouting from the public would be so disruptive that the Knesset members would not be able to hear one anothers’ shouting.
The people of Israel do demand a commission of State Inquiry into the failures of Oct 7. However, there are plenty of Israeli politicians who would like to use that commission to further their own personal political goals. Netanyahu’s stance is that such a commission must be balanced, not partisan. As Bibi sees it, the retired judge who would appoint the commission is a partisan leftist, given that the judicial system has not yet been reformed. Of course the existing judicial system, while leftist, itself believes that it should always remain as such.
On the one hand, I’m not impressed by the accusations from Knesset Member Lapid against Netanyahu. It’s the same anti-Right tone as before the war, and Lapid stands to gain politically. On the other hand, I’m not impressed with Netanyahu for refusing to acknowledge the letter from Yarden Bibas, a grieving father who “failed” to protect his family using one single gun. This casts Netanyahu in a bad light, as if he himself has his own petty political aims just like so many of the others. And yet, he does have a point: what’s the use of a state commission that is unbalanced and used as a weapon against the majority political movement in the nation?
Another point remains: The head of the Shin Bet (Security Service) failed to wake Netanyahu when he knew an attack had begun. Lapid, blaming THAT on Netanyahu, seems petty for it.
Bereaved parents, invited to the Knesset observation gallery, were beaten by guards. Yarden Bibas, bereaved husband and father, and surviving POW, sent a letter which was read aloud. It’s hard to say what are the motives of the politicians involved – how much do they want “truth” and “justice” and how much do they want to preserve or advance their careers? Prayer for Israel is requested.
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Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-session-on-october-7-probe-marred-by-violence-against-victims-families/
Times of Israel, captured 25 Feb 2025