Netanyahu at the commission of inquiry into the Miron disaster: "I cannot accept responsibility for what you do not know"/Government Press Office
"I am responsible - but responsibility does not mean guilt": this was the first and famous response of the Minister of Internal Security at the time, Amir Ohana, to the Miron disaster that occurred during his tenure in office.
Since then, a state commission of inquiry has been established to investigate the circumstances of the tragic incident in which 45 men and children died, and today (Wednesday) it is expected to submit a summary report to the Knesset.
What events have taken place since it was established until now?
Walla!
Makes you tidy.
On video: Shouting at the members of the state investigation committee for the Mount Miron disaster/photo: Eli Ashkenazi and Shlomi Gabai
June 27, 2021 - Appointment of committee members
About two months after the disaster that occurred on April 30, 2021, the President of the Supreme Court, Judge Esther Hayut, appointed the members of the committee, which has since begun hearing testimonies and gathering materials.
It was chaired by the retired President of the Supreme Court Miriam Naor, who passed away during the committee process, and was replaced by the retired President of the Tel Aviv-Jaffa District Court, Judge Deborah Berliner, along with the members of the committee, Rabbi Mordechai Karlitz and Maj. Gen. Shlomo Yanai.
More in Walla!
The families of those killed in the Miron disaster ahead of the publication of the conclusions: "We want things to be put in order, not looking for culprits"
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On video: 45 dead and about 155 injured in the Mount Miron disaster/photo: N.M., kol haolam, Adama, WhatsApp chat, Yaron Bluestein TPS, MDA operations documentation, Yossi Flor, Eli Yediot from the field on Telegram, police spokeswomen, Gabriel Ben Shimon and Shlomi Gabai;
Editing: Asaf Drori
End of 2021 - the committee's decisions for the next revelry are submitted to the Prime Minister
The committee's submission to the Prime Minister at the time, Naftali Bennett, of the interim recommendations in order to prepare for the next LJ B'Omer celebration. Its decisions included a maximum occupancy of 20,000 people in the complex, as well as only one central lighting, as well as a ban on setting up tents and a ban on distributing food, with the exception of drinking. "It is recommended to take urgent steps to improve infrastructure and remove safety hazards," the committee emphasized.
To make sure that the crowd limit is maintained, the committee recommended to continue with access to the mountain by public transportation only, to limit the length of stay of private transportation, and also to use technological means to monitor the regulation of the amount of the crowd - issue that came up and came up again and again in the discussions in the committee.
The committee also explained about the ban on distributing food that this "will not only increase the area available to the public on the mountain and reduce the length of stay there, but will also reduce the danger of falling and slipping on garbage." The only kindling, they determined, would take place on the roof The grade by the Rebbe of Boyan, and if the conclusions are accepted - will be short as was customary in the past.
More in Walla!
Shabtai in the commission of inquiry into the Miron disaster: "If the program was dangerous, I would not have approved it"
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Mount Miron disaster, April 30, 2021/Flash 90, David Cohen/Flash 90
June 2022 - Ohana testifies and claims: We held preparations, I could not act otherwise
A year after the establishment of the committee, the minister in charge of the incident at the time, Amir Ohana, testified before it, saying that he could not have acted differently regarding the conduct of the site during the disaster.
"The wisdom in hindsight is very little," he claimed during his testimony, in which he was asked to provide details on the deployment of the forces and their readiness to handle the incident.
Ohana told about the preparation meeting that the police held about a week before the disaster, in the shadow of the other challenges they faced - including the enforcement of the Corona guidelines and the security tensions in Jerusalem.
He also explained that every year thousands of police officers are assigned to the event, and preparation for it begins about six months in advance.
"The closer we got to the event, my involvement increased," he said, "During the month of April, both with the police and with ultra-Orthodox officials, I recognized the disconnect between the police and many in ultra-Orthodox society who felt over-enforcement during the Corona period."
More in Walla!
Father of one of those killed in the Miron disaster: "Retirement of the commander of the North District - a road map for all those affected by the incident"
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In the video: the Miron Committee criticizing Ohana/photo: L.A.M
July 2022 - The Prime Minister testifies about the disaster before the committee: "I did not know"; the commander of the North District announces his retirement: "bears responsibility"
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified before the investigative committee.
When asked if he considered himself responsible for the disaster, he replied: "You can't accept responsibility for what you don't know."
In the same month, Northern District Commander Shimon Lavi announced his retirement from the police following the disaster.
"Immediately after the disaster, I said that I, as the commander of the incident, bear the responsibility," he wrote to Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai upon his retirement.
I never hid behind anyone, not even behind the co-responsibility."
More in Walla!
The recordings from the fateful discussion a week before the Miron disaster: "When was there an event where people were crushed?"
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May 2023 - the commissioner's testimony before the committee
Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai testified before the committee, saying that if he had known that the plan was dangerous, he would not have approved it. "Factually, on the basis of the past - the mountain could accommodate the amount of pilgrims and I believe that the mountain can accommodate such a number of visitors," he said.
More on the same topic:
Mount Miron disaster
Benjamin Netanyahu
Amir Ohana
Kobi Shabtai
State Commission of Inquiry