Tel Aviv [Israel], Israel's High Court on Sunday ordered State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman to suspend his investigation into the October 7 security services failures until the case is heard in July.
The Comptroller, also known as the State Ombudsman, issues periodic auditing reports of Israeli preparedness and the effectiveness of government policies.
Government watchdog groups petitioned the court against Engleman's investigation, arguing that security issues were beyond the comptroller's mandate, that the investigation would harm the military operationally, and that the investigation would interfere with decisions made during Hamas attacks. Will not address political responsibility for this. Communities near the Gaza border.
In May, High Court judge Gila Camfi-Steinitz ruled against halting the state comptroller's investigation.But he said Sunday that classified responses from security agencies led him to suspend the investigation of Engleman until a hearing in July.
"Given the complex security reality, the planned scope of the investigation, which will deal, inter alia, with combat support systems and core operational issues, and the preparations required to respond to this [investigation] at the present time...I would like to thank the IDF and Shin "I order the suspension of investigative procedures in everything related to the bet," Canfee-Steinitz ruled.
Engleman's investigation was opposed by Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, as well as the State Attorney's office.
In February, the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi ordered an internal investigation into the army's failures on 7 October.That investigation will examine deficiencies in the IDF General Staff, military intelligence, Gaza border security, and general operational matters. Its mandate does not include decisions taken by the political arena.
A separate independent commission of inquiry is expected to be set up after the war with a broader mandate, including into political failures. Such commissions have wide powers to call witnesses and collect evidence and are headed by senior judges of the Supreme Court.
On October 7, Hamas attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border killed at least 1,200 people and took 252 Israelis and foreigners hostage.Of the 116 remaining hostages, more than 30 are believed dead.
The Comptroller, also known as the State Ombudsman, issues periodic auditing reports of Israeli preparedness and the effectiveness of government policies.
Government watchdog groups petitioned the court against Engleman's investigation, arguing that security issues were beyond the comptroller's mandate, that the investigation would harm the military operationally, and that the investigation would interfere with decisions made during Hamas attacks. Will not address political responsibility for this. Communities near the Gaza border.
In May, High Court judge Gila Camfi-Steinitz ruled against halting the state comptroller's investigation.But he said Sunday that classified responses from security agencies led him to suspend the investigation of Engleman until a hearing in July.
"Given the complex security reality, the planned scope of the investigation, which will deal, inter alia, with combat support systems and core operational issues, and the preparations required to respond to this [investigation] at the present time...I would like to thank the IDF and Shin "I order the suspension of investigative procedures in everything related to the bet," Canfee-Steinitz ruled.
Engleman's investigation was opposed by Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, as well as the State Attorney's office.
In February, the Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi ordered an internal investigation into the army's failures on 7 October.That investigation will examine deficiencies in the IDF General Staff, military intelligence, Gaza border security, and general operational matters. Its mandate does not include decisions taken by the political arena.
A separate independent commission of inquiry is expected to be set up after the war with a broader mandate, including into political failures. Such commissions have wide powers to call witnesses and collect evidence and are headed by senior judges of the Supreme Court.
On October 7, Hamas attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border killed at least 1,200 people and took 252 Israelis and foreigners hostage.Of the 116 remaining hostages, more than 30 are believed dead.
