Israel honors 45 stampede dead on Mount Meron with day of national mourning and half-personal flags

Israeli flags were flown at half mast today in the Knesset or the Israeli Parliament and in the official residence of the President, Reuven Rivlin, for the 45 people who died in the stampede that occurred at a large Jewish celebration last Thursday , in what is considered the greatest civil tragedy experienced in Israel.

This Sunday said national day of mourningHe remembers all the deceased, men from the ultra-Orthodox community, who have already been identified and among whom there were ten children under the age of 18.

Israeli police are investigating the causes of the avalanche which also left some 150 injured, twelve of whom remain in hospital, according to Kan radio.

“We will conduct a thorough, serious and thorough investigation to ensure that a tragedy like this does not happen again,” Acting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his visit to the scene. He also added that “there were some heartbreaking scenes here. People have been crushed to death, including children ”.

The government canceled a meeting scheduled for Sunday and concerts and sporting events were postponed.

About 100,000 ultra-Orthodox gathered Thursday on Mount Meron in the Galilee, in the north of Israel, by the Jewish holiday of Lag Baomer which they celebrate with a traditional pilgrimage around the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a 2nd century Talmudist credited with writing the Zohar, a central work of Jewish mysticism. The celebration, which is not popular with the Jewish community outside of Israel, includes dancing and bonfires.

The event was the most massive organized in Israel since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Public Security Minister Amir Ohana took responsibility, “but not blamed”, and defended the actions of the security forces at the event.

The facade of Tel Aviv’s city hall and part of the walls of the Old City of occupied Jerusalem were illuminated on Saturday in the colors of the Israeli flag as a sign of mourning and memory of the victims.

Tomorrow, Monday, the Israeli Parliament will hold an extraordinary session and MPs will light candles at the entrance of the plenary session for a tragedy that has shocked the country.

With 45 dead and dozens injured, the tragedy is the worst to occur in peacetime in Israel, surpassing the 44 deaths recorded after a fire on Mount Carmel in 2010. The death toll includes a dozen children and teenagers and at least ten foreigners. nationals, including six Americans, one British, two Canadians and one Argentinian.

(With information from EFE and EP)

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