Suspect from Mount Herzl stage tragedy part of Madonna concert security detail

Itzik Tzuker was a security consultant at the Independence Day rehearsal where a soldier was killed

Itzik Tzuker (left) and Oren Varshebski in the Jerusalem's Magistrates Court on April 23, 2012 (photo credit: Alex Sela/Flash90)
Itzik Tzuker (left) and Oren Varshebski in the Jerusalem's Magistrates Court on April 23, 2012 (photo credit: Alex Sela/Flash90)

One of the security consultants contracted for Madonna’s concert near Tel Aviv Thursday night is a suspect in an April incident in which a lighting rig fell during rehearsals for an event, killing a solider.

According to Maariv, Itzik Tzuker, who denied responsibility for the April accident, was consulting on the construction of the massive stage for the pop queen’s concert, which took nearly two weeks of work before the show.

Tzuker was one of four suspects arrested and questioned in connection with the tragedy on Mount Herzl during an IDF rehearsal for Israel’s Independence Day ceremony, in which a lighting tower collapsed, killing 2nd Lt. Hila Betzaleli and injuring several other soldiers.

In the days following the disaster, Tzuker told police that he was not responsible for the security at the Mount Herzl event and attempted to distance himself from suspicions of negligence.

According to the report in Maariv, Tzuker was seen on Thursday morning walking around the Ramat Gan Madonna concert site wearing an identification tag that allowed him free movement throughout the soccer stadium area, as well as an orange wrist band reserved for senior production personnel. On his rounds through the area he gave instructions to the stage hands.

The producer of the Madonna concert, Shuki Weiss, said that Tzucker is “not my security consultant, but a security consultant for the Soccer Association, which is why he is in the area.”  Maariv was unable to receive a reaction from the Israel Soccer Association.

One senior officer explained that from the moment Tzuker was released from custody, he has every right to continue working as a security consultant. “It is truly absurd,” said the officer, “but we are not responsible for it.”

Legal sources told Maariv that the police filed a request to keep Tzuker from any security work at events of this nature for 180 days, but the request was rejected by the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on the grounds that Tzuker was innocent until proven guilty. Police have since appealed the decision and are still awaiting a final decision.

Most Popular
read more: