Israel’s Cabinet voted Jan. 23 for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry, to probe the so-called submarine affair. The commission would examine allegations for corruption in a mega-deal signed in 2016 under the government of then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, between Israel and German naval shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp.
The commission is expected to evaluate the relatively rapid decision-making process employed by the political echelon, including by the prime minister and the defense ministries, related to the sensitive procurement. On top of suspicions for bribery, reports published over the years claimed that several senior Israel Defense Forces officers believed the tremendous sum of money allocated to the purchase of the submarines should have been earmarked for more urgent needs. The reports blamed Netanyahu for pushing forward the deal against the expert opinions of security professionals. Netanyahu himself had explained then that the submarines were a necessity in Israel’s armament against a possible Iranian campaign.
