Pilgrims skirt police checkpoints near Mount Meron as thousands said to be at site despite Lag B’Omer limits

Jewish pilgrims to Mount Meron are continuing to skirt police checkpoints meant to block entry to the site, after authorities drastically scaled back annual Lag B’Omer festivities set to be held this evening at the northern shrine due to war-related gathering restrictions.

Police are gearing up for clashes after they pared down customary festivities at the site, in accordance with the army’s tightened public gathering restrictions in the region amid the threat of Hezbollah rocket fire.

This year, the celebration is authorized to consist of three small bonfire lighting ceremonies, attended by 200 people each. Last year, by contrast, drew some 100,000 mostly Haredi revelers to the site.

Police are trying to apprehend people as they try to sneak in through surrounding forests and fields, but many have already managed to evade the cops, Channel 12 reports.

Late last night, ultra-Orthodox men were seen climbing fences and sneaking into the ostensibly blocked-off area in hopes of reaching the shrine.

Thousands of revelers had arrived at Meron before police closed the roads yesterday morning, meaning there are already far more people at the site than the army allows for.

תיעוד נוסף: צעירים מטפסים על הגדרות ונכנסים להר מירון בקלות. pic.twitter.com/W8joL2Ihel

— זירת החדשות (@ZiratNews) May 3, 2026