MK Eichler: committee to investigate failure in Meron

MK Israel Eichler went out last night (Monday) in a conclusive call to establish a commission of inquiry, following the great collapse in Meron on Lag Ba'omer.

In his words at the Knesset Eichler said: "This week we will celebrate Lag Ba'omer in Meron with Rabbi Shimon. It was a great day that will be remembered and exalted by the people of Israel as proof that the Strength of Israel will not lie. On this day about half a million Jews came to Meron, and they are positive proof that no one can uproot the soul of Israel.

There were all ethnicities, all circles, religious and traditional. Thousands of children who had the "Upsherin" in Meron will carry the torch and pass the fire of Torah and Jewish faith for future generations. These children will survive all the burning torches of hatred which threaten to burn the Jewish soul.

Lag Ba'Omer in Meron was the answer to all of those who announce publicly of the detachment of Israel from their faith. Jews of all backgrounds and from all economic classes, rich and penniless, workers and worshippers, the elderly and their grandchildren, young and old - everyone came to rejoice in the hilula of Bar Yochai, who illuminated the world with his teachings at a time when the world was empty. He rebelled against the Roman culture, although they built roads, bridges, markets, trade, baths, and they were very creative. He got a death sentence and hid in a cave for 13 years for not recognizing the Roman rule. And when he came out with his son Elazar, Rabbi Shimon said: You and I should rid the world of the law."

He then went on to describe the collapse.

"But, the joy was violated with the collapse of the transportation system. The suffering of children, women and old people, it was a terrible thing. When I think of what would happen if, G-d forbid we would need a mass evacuation suddenly elsewhere. If the State of Israel failed with orderly evacuation, what will happen with an emergency evacuation? Israel Police and the Ministry of Transport knew for a whole year, that hundreds of thousands of people are going to come to Meron. Five years ago there was a similar collapse.

In recent years they made a circular transportation system. For five years they managed to move through Meron hundreds of thousands of people in an orderly manner. Even three years ago Lag Ba'Omer was on a Motzaei Shabbos. This year the transportation collapsed and thousands of people, tens of thousands of people stood for hours, six hours, without water, with small children, and all the barriers were closed. Highly erroneous decisions.

I would like a parliamentary inquiry committee to be established, why were sufficient parking lots not prepared, so that next year it will not happen again. We already know that half a million people will come – in contrast, when the Pope arrived, they uprooted a whole mountain at Mount Chorazim, to prepare parking lots. Why are there not enough parking lots in Meron?

We know Meron is a tourist spot number two in the country, from all over the world, after the Western Wall. Can't we prepare? I would like a commission of inquiry about what happened yesterday with the collapse of transportation and to draw conclusions for next year. The public is not ready to go back to routine after what happened. There will be an investigation and conclusions must come."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!