Ombudsman freezes probe of Meron disaster to let state commission take lead

21 July 2021, 2:14 pm

Edit

Illustrative: Israeli rescue forces and police at the scene of the fatal crush during Lag B'Omer celebrations on Mount Meron, in northern Israel, on April 30, 2021. (David Cohen/Flash90)

State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman has frozen his investigation into the tragedy at Mount Meron to allow the state commission of inquiry to take the lead in probing the deadly crush during Lag B’Omer celebrations this year, in which 45 people were killed.

Englman’s decision to suspend the probe comes a day after he met with members of the commission and presented to them his office’s findings so far.

“I decided to wrap up the inspection and allow the committee to carry out its role optimally and exclusively,” Englman says.

It also comes a week after Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit ordered a halt to the ongoing criminal investigation into the disaster for identical reasons as Englman.