- By Wayne Rodrigo
- (General Dispatch) – A religious festival held in Israel, which gathers thousands of orthodox Jews in the north of the country, left 45 people dead and hundreds injured in a stampede early Friday morning.
- The event occurred when a large number of people crowded into a very narrow passageway, according to the footage people began to fall one on top of the other while walking on slippery stairs.
- Apparently, the descent of the people from the mountain caused “general chaos” on the slippery metal slope of the stairs, where no one was able to have control to stop.
- As a result, the barricades set up by the police officers hindered the exit of the people, mostly men dressed in black, who were trapped in the tunnel-like structure.
- It should be noted that the stampede occurred during the celebration of Lag Ba’Omer on Mount Meron, one of the first religious festivals to be held after the lifting of the pandemic restrictions.
- The festival brings together thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews who honor Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and is characterized by prayers and dances during the gathering.
- Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel made a visit to the place where the events took place and assured that this is “one of the worst disasters that the State of Israel has suffered”.
- At the same time, Netanyahu sent his condolences to the families of the victims, decreeing Sunday as a day of mourning for the event that took the lives of 45 people so far.
Adittional Information:
AP News: Israel mourns deaths of 45 in stampede at religious festival
WVVA: Israel mourns deaths of 45 in stampede at religious festival
