Israeli media on November 16 focused on the government's decision to establish a non-state investigative commission into the October 7th failures, with a ministerial committee to determine its mandate within 45 days. This move drew considerable criticism, labeled as a "cover-up committee" by the opposition, a sentiment echoed through the afternoon and into the evening.
Concurrently, the Supreme Court's decision regarding the oversight of the former Military Advocate General's investigation was a major theme. The Court ruled that Justice Minister Levin could appoint an external overseer but rejected his initial choice of Judge Kola. Levin had previously asserted that rejecting Kola would enable a cover-up. By evening, reports indicated Levin was struggling to find new candidates.
Throughout the day, discussions also continued on potential US-Saudi normalization, which included F-35 sales and nuclear considerations, with some reports suggesting delays and conditions from Saudi Arabia, and concerns in Israel about the impact on its qualitative military edge.
