Bereaved Families Clash With Knesset Guards Over Inquiry Access
A confrontation erupted on Monday between grieving families and Knesset security personnel after they were initially barred from entering the visitors’ section to observe a parliamentary discussion on forming a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attacks. The families, part of the October Council, a group representing 1,500 bereaved households, have been pressing the Israeli government to launch an independent investigation into the attack.
The council had sent a request to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana a day earlier, asking to attend the debate, which was set to include Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. When the families attempted to enter, security officials blocked them at the foot of the staircase, citing space limitations. The confrontation escalated into a physical altercation, with at least two parents reportedly injured.
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After tensions eased, the families remained at the staircase, reciting kaddish—the Jewish mourners’ prayer—while holding photos of their loved ones. They were eventually allowed inside under heavy security. During Netanyahu’s speech, the families turned their backs in protest while displaying images of their slain relatives. Ohana initially ordered their removal but later reversed his decision.
At a press conference earlier, relatives reiterated their demand for an inquiry, emphasizing that it should be independent and nonpartisan. Rafi Ben Sheetreet, whose son was killed at the Nahal Oz base, dismissed claims that such a probe would be politically motivated. Eyal Eshel, father of fallen IDF observer Roni Eshel, accused officials of trying to erase crucial evidence.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin, mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was killed in captivity, urged Israel to follow the example of the US after the 9/11 attacks. “I, along with a staggering 83% of the population of the State of Israel, call upon our decision makers to establish a state commission of inquiry, to do what all aspiring democracies do, even in times of extreme crisis and soul-searching: Listen to the vast majority of the people. Seek answers to hard questions in order for our resilient nation to stagger forward toward the light. The light that only clarity can provide,” she said.
