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The Daily Edition

What Matters Most On Monday, May 3, 2021

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Reporter's notebook

Judah Ari Gross

A steep, slippery ramp, uneven stairs: Walking the route of the Meron disaster

The exit ramp where 45 people were crushed to death on Thursday night was allegedly built without a permit, and will feature prominently in upcoming investigations

Israeli rescue forces and police stand on the stairs where a mass of people were crushed to death and injured during the celebrations of the Lag B'Omer holiday on Mount Meron, in northern Israel on April 30, 2021. (David Cohen/Flash90)

Screen capture from video of Yoel Schlezinger describing the events at Mount Meron, May 2, 2021. (Twitter)

Volunteer describes plucking boy from Meron crush by yanking him through window

By Stuart Winer and ToI Staff

Ultra-Orthodox Jews gather at the grave site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Mount Meron in northern Israel on April 29, 2021, as they celebrate the Jewish holiday of Lag B'Omer (JALAA MAREY / AFP)

State comptroller announces investigation into ‘preventable’ Meron disaster

By Raoul Wootliff

Rescuers at Mount Meron, shortly after tragedy unfolded. Avi Marcus, director the the medical department at United Hatzalah of Israel, is top left. (courtesy of United Hatzalah)

Inside storyHorror haunts the heroes

‘Broken’: Meron tragedy reduced Israel’s toughest rescuers to tears, trauma

By Nathan Jeffay

Medics were left with deep emotional scars. One says he can’t shake memory of a boy he didn’t reach. Another felt like a ’hangman’

‘You break apart inside,’ says doctor at Meron clinic who pronounced 39 deaths

Shared grief: Two fathers who lost sons at Meron comfort each other

From the blogs

Eyewitness: All I could see were faces of agony

We went to Mount Meron expecting an unforgettable cultural experience. Then we got trapped in the crush. We’re still processing what we saw there.

Israeli rescue forces and police at the scene after a mass fatality scene during the celebrations of the Jewish holiday of Lag Baomer on Mt. Meron, in northern Israel on April 30, 2021. (David Cohen/Flash90)

Times of Israel Podcast

Daily Briefing May 3 – Ripple effects of disaster: Meron beyond its victims

Tune in Sunday through Thursday to hear ToI editors and reporters quickly catch you up on what’s important today

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits a man injured in the Mount Meron disaster, at Haifa's Rambam Medical Center, May 2, 2021. (Courtesy)

Netanyahu visits Meron injured in hospital amid questions over government role

Israeli flags lowered to half-staff in honor of Mount Meron crush victims, at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 2, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Gantz asks AG for position on forming state commission into Meron disaster

By Raoul Wootliff

Analysis

Haviv Rettig Gur

After Meron calamity, Haredim question the price of their own autonomy

Ultra-Orthodox media figures are calling for a commission of inquiry, and lashing the state for letting their community endanger itself

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man weeps at a cemetery in Bnei Brak, during the funeral of one of the victims of the Meron crush on April 30, 2021. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)

Ultra-Orthodox Jews gather at the grave site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Mount Meron in northern Israel on April 29, 2021, as they celebrate the Jewish holiday of Lag B'Omer (JALAA MAREY / AFP)

Chief rabbi, top Haredi MK urge government to assert control over Mount Meron

Left: Head of the Yamina party Naftali Bennett gives a press conference at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on April 21, 2021; Right: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on April 21, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Netanyahu: I’ll let Bennett be PM first; Bennett: But you don’t have a majority

By Raoul Wootliff

Likud leader again urges Yamina chief to commit to forming right-wing coalition, but Smotrich continues to rule out reliance on Ra’am and Sa’ar still won’t serve with Netanyahu

A cabinet meeting of the new government at Chagall State Hall in the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 24, 2020. (Abir Sultan/Pool/AFP)

After High Court warning, cabinet approves appointment of 5 ministers

By Raoul Wootliff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, with Education Minister Naftali Bennett in the Knesset, June 17, 2015. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Netanyahu said to back Bennett forming coalition in return for legal protections

By Raoul Wootliff

Medics load victims of an apparent drive-by shooting attack in the northern West Bank onto an ambulance on May 2, 2021. (Magen David Adom)

3 hurt, 2 seriously in West Bank drive-by shooting; IDF searching for terrorists

By Judah Ari Gross

Assailants open fire from passing car, hitting 3 yeshiva students at Tapuah Junction; terror attack comes amid heightened tensions after PA cancels elections

Palestinians work to extinguish a fire allegedly set by Israeli settlers outside the village of Jaloud in the northern West Bank on May 3, 2021. (Screen capture: B'Tselem)

Settlers raid West Bank village after Tapuah attack; IDF detains 11 Palestinians

By Judah Ari Gross

Fahima al-Hroub, 60, a resident of Wadi Fukin killed by Israeli forces during an alleged stabbing attack on May 1, 2021 (courtesy: al-Hroub family)

Palestinian shot dead in alleged stabbing attack was mentally ill, says brother

By Aaron Boxerman

Yamina party leader Ayelet Shaked arrives for a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his office in Jerusalem on September 18, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Live updates (closed)

In recordings, Shaked calls Netanyahus ‘dictators’ with ‘lust for power’

Yamina MK says PM only cares about his criminal trials, predicts he’ll pivot more to the right, but says she still seeks to form government with Likud

6:05 pm

Cross-examination of Walla CEO to start Tuesday
6:00 pm

Bennett said meeting Ra'am chief in Knesset
5:41 pm

In bombshell recordings, Shaked calls Netanyahus 'tyrants' with 'lust for power'

The parents of Donny Morris, killed in the Meron disaster, attend his funeral in Jerusalem, May 2, 2021 (Screen grab)

‘You were loved by so many’: Thousands at funeral, online ceremony for NJ teen

Families fly in for burials of 2 Americans, Canadian and Argentinian students among 45 killed in Mount Meron disaster; 70,000 watch live-streamed ceremony for Donny Morris

Ultra Orthodox Jews attend the funeral of Abraham Ambon in Jerusalem on May 3, 2021. Amnon was one of the victims of the Meron disaster, where 45 people were crushed to death during a Lag b'Omer celebration. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

45th Meron burial: Hundreds attend funeral of Argentinian student

Pope Francis waves after delivering the Regina Caeli noon prayer from the window of his studio overlooking St.Peter's Square, at the Vatican, May 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Pope sends prayers for victims of Meron tragedy

From Mt. Sinai to Mt. Meron: Perspectives on prevention

The Talmudic sages addressed multiple tales of deaths by crushing and found creative solutions while giving top priority to saving lives

David E. Bernstein

Biden provides a peek into the progressive Jewish mindset

US Jews are portrayed as driven by values not religion, engaged in left-wing activism and threatened by antisemitism that comes only from the right

US President Joe Biden addresses a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on April 28, 2021. (Melina Mara / POOL / AFP)

Biden said to tell Mossad chief that US not close to return to Iran nuke deal

By Jacob Magid and ToI Staff

Israeli official disputes US assertion that Biden ‘dropped by’ Yossi Cohen-Jake Sullivan meeting, says talks were planned and lasted for an hour

Iran claims it will free prisoners in exchange for $7 billion relief; US denies

By Agencies and ToI Staff

Iran’s Khamenei says remarks by Zarif in audio leak a ‘big mistake’

By AFP and ToI Staff

Zarif apologizes for leaked comments, hopes Iranian people will ‘forgive’ him

By Agencies and ToI Staff

Spanish video artist Alex Rigola's 'MachoMan' installation, will be in place at the upcoming Jerusalem Festival, opening June 3, 2021 (Courtesy Marti Artalejo)

'Exactly the right size for this period that we're in'

This year’s Israel Festival is smaller, homegrown and presented in person

By Jessica Steinberg

Jerusalem event celebrates its 60th year with tribute to culture of years past; organizers say there won’t be a livestream as they want to encourage attendance; tickets now on sale

Travelers walk to a coronavirus testing area after arriving at Ben Gurion Airport on March 8, 2021. (Flash90)

Israel’s ban on travel to 7 countries over COVID variants takes effect

Israelis cannot travel to India, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Turkey; returnees, even those vaccinated or recovered, must isolate

Ziv Hospital team members wearing safety gear as they work in the coronavirus ward in the northern Israeli city of Tzfat, February 4, 2021. (David Cohen/Flash90)

Only 13 new COVID cases diagnosed in 24 hours, lowest in 14 months

Gugulethu Moyo, former executive director of the Jewish History Museum in Tucson, Arizona. (Courtesy of Gugulethu Moyo via JTA)

Board accuses her of misconduct and is threatening to sue

First Jew of color to lead an American Jewish museum resigns, citing prejudice

Gugulethu Moyo made history when selected to head Tucson’s Jewish History Museum, but six months later she’s quit, accusing the board of dysfunction fueled by racism and sexism

Dr. Robert G. W. Anderson's hand showing a photo of his grandfather, who fled Austria in the Holocaust, in a video produced by AFP on March 19 2021. (Screen capture: AFP)

‘An attempt to correct history’: Jewish descendants reclaim Austrian citizenship

By Blaise GAUQUELIN

Elie Kligman has emerged as one of the top college recruits in the West. (Courtesy of Kligman/ via JTA)

'Everyone is super respectful of the things I do'

Shabbat-observant baseball phenom eyes Major League career, but can it be done?

Elie Kligman has emerged as one of the top college recruits in the West, and he’s sure that the sport’s schedule for players won’t pose a religious problem

More Headlines

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger tours Mobileye's new headquarters building in Jerusalem on May 2, 2021 with Mobileye CEO Amnon Shashua. (Courtesy: Intel)

Intel CEO Gelsinger sees ‘vibrant future’ with Israel for ‘decades to come’

By Shoshanna Solomon

Riwa Murshid, a Palestinian journalist from Gaza, describes to local media how she was assaulted by a Hamas security officer for not wearing a hijab. (Screenshot: Facebook)

Hamas officer said to assault Gaza journalist for not wearing hijab

By Aaron Boxerman

Icht Chaim Yitzhak, 39, has been missing since the Mount Meron disaster (courtesy)

48 hours after Mount Meron disaster, missing Beersheba man found

Illustrative. H&M Israel (Yossi Zeliger/ Flash90)

H&M Israel said targeted by Iranian cyberattack

Two KC-10 Extender crew chiefs board the aircraft at Al-Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, January 5, 2021. (US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Trevor T. McBride, via AP)

Military dillMideast US Air Force flight uses call sign ‘Pickle Rick’

By AP

Israeli attorney Amit Hadad attends the annual international Municipal Innovation Conference in Tel Aviv, on February 19, 2020. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Netanyahu defense attorney to represent Meron victims’ families

A rib-eye steak produced from meat cells cultivated in a laboratory by Israeli startup Aleph Farms. (Courtesy: Aleph Farms)

Israel carving out key role in alternative protein market, report says

By Shoshanna Solomon

FILE -- A group of police officers at Melbourne Magistrate's Court, Australia, March 5, 2018 (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Convicted pedophile who worked at Melbourne Jewish school faces new rape charge

The HemoScreen blood test analyzer device developed by PixCell Medical (Courtesy)

South Korea’s Soulbrain buys control of PixCell for blood analyzer devices

By Shoshanna Solomon

Yarin Sherf (Facebook)

Court approves rape charge for man accused of assaulting 13-year-old girl

Fans make their way past barriers outside the ground as they let off flares whilst protesting against the Glazer family, owners of Manchester United, before their Premier League match against Liverpool at Old Trafford, Manchester, England, Sunday, May 2, 2021. (Barrington Coombs/PA via AP)

Top English soccer game canceled as fans storm Man Utd stadium to protest owners

Palo Alto Networks founder & CTO Nir Zuk (YouTube Screenshot)

Palo Alto Networks founder Nir Zuk reportedly to set up digital bank in Israel

By Shoshanna Solomon

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