The final report on the Mount Meron Disaster Commission was submitted to the government at noon on Wednesday, almost three years after the deadly crowd crush that claimed the lives of 45 people.
After the reports submission, a copy will be sent to the families of the victims, and the representatives of those receiving warning notices about determinations of their roles in the tragedy.
The state commission of inquiry was established two months after the disaster to investigate the issues that unfolded during the 2021 pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai Tomb for the Lag BaOmer holiday.
The cause of the tragedy
The tragedy was caused by the funneling of a crowd down narrow and steep stairs slick with spilled drinks, and when a mass of people fell, others continued pushing and panicking.
The commission was also tasked with reviewing how such events could be avoided in the future and released an interim report in November 2021.
The interim report advised the appointment of a minister in charge of the celebrations and recommended that infrastructure be improved at the site to remove safety hazards. To prevent unusual crowd density, the commission said to increase the area available to pilgrims and to regulate the flow and number of attendees. The committee also advised that there be central bonfire lighting ceremonies and that no food and beverages be distributed at the site.
The committee members, former Supreme Court President Miriam Naor, Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz, and Major General (Res.) Shlomo Yanai was appointed by then Supreme Court President Esther Hayut. Naor died in February 2022 and was replaced by former Tel Aviv District Court president Devorah Berliner.
Following the report, later on Wednesday, Rabbi Yossi Schwinger, head of the National Center for Development of Holy Places, announced his resignation.
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