Netanyahu Pledges $110B for Independent Arms; Parliament OKs October 7 Probe

• PM Netanyahu announced a $110 billion (350 billion shekels) investment over 10 years to build an independent arms industry for Israel.
• The goal is to reduce dependency on allies and ensure arms are produced domestically as much as possible.
• Israel's parliament approved a government-empowered inquiry into the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, not an independent state commission.
• Critics and victims' families argue this move circumvents the 1968 Commissions of Inquiry Law and could lead to a cover-up.
• Netanyahu has resisted calls for an independent probe; his coalition's bill allows parliament members to pick panelists, with the cabinet setting the mandate.

Why It Matters: Israel boosts defense autonomy with massive arms investment while facing controversy over October 7 attack inquiry.