Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Miriam Naor To Head Meron Commission Of Inquiry

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JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Miriam Naor will head the commission of inquiry established to investigate the tragedy in Meron in which 45 people lost their lives after a crush of people fell on the steps near the Toldos Aharon compound last Lag Ba’Omer.

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Supreme Court Chief Justice Esther Hayut announced the formation of the commission, which will also include General (Res.) Shlomo Yanai, former director of Teva and former Bnei Brak mayor Mordechai Karelitz, a son of Rabbi Nissim Karelitz.

Hayut said at a press conference that “the government decision to establish a national commission of inquiry states that the tragedy which occurred, along with the attendant dangers which exist at similar events, are a matter of vital public interest which require investigation. The government decision also states that the commission will recommend the correct way to arrange mass events. This refers mainly to places of religious worship and in particular to the changes required at the site of the Lag Ba’Omer festivities on Mount Meron and the infrastructure modifications required to hold events there in the future.”

Regarding the appointment of Rabbi Karelitz Hayut said that “Rabbi Karelitz served in the past as mayor of Bnei Brak and has vast knowledge and practical experience in the realm of planning and construction. He served in the past on the Tal Commission for establishing an arrangement for conscription of yeshiva students to the IDF and has a lot of expertise regarding the religious requirements at the festivities at Rashbi’s tomb in Meron.

Hayut added that “today, the 17th of Tammuz is the day that according to Jewish tradition the walls of Jerusalem were breached. Let us hope that the commission being established today will work to rectify and strengthen buildings both from a social and safety perspective.”

The commission is expected to interrogate former Public Security Minister Amir Ohana, former Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, Former Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman, Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, Northern Police commander Shimon Lavi, and other senior police officers and members of the Center for Development of Holy Sites.

There has been some criticism of the appointment of Naor, since in 2008 as a Supreme Court judge, she refused to transfer the responsibility for Meron to the state and instead established the “committee of five” which supervised the site until recently.


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CudahyKid
CudahyKid
2 years ago

I hope that the commission discovers what happened that day, and make sure it never happens again.
I believe that many groups were involved. I hope that all groups involved can work together so that next year, the holiday will be a safer one.