Police, local council argued over enforcing synagogue closure before disaster

The Kan media outlet is publishing documents in which the police and Givat Ze’ev regional council tried to get each other to enforce an order banning Shavuot services at the unfinished Karlin synagogue.

Papers show police warning the local council about the danger of allowing services at the building, which was not finished and did not have an occupancy permit. However, when the local council asked police to step in to enforce the closure, police responded that it is the council’s job.

Some point out that police should have acted to prevent worshipers from actually entering, rather than leaving it to the local council, which has only limited enforcement capabilities.