Mount Meron disaster: National day of mourning in Israel

Sunday was declared a national day of mourning in Israel following the disaster at Mount Meron, in which 45 people were killed in a stampede.

By ANA BERSKY/MAARIV, TAL LEV RAM/MAARIV, ARIK BENDER/MAARIV, GIL HOFFMAN
Updated: MAY 2, 2021 17:51
Flags at the Knesset were lowered to half mast in memory of the victims of the Meron disaster in a special ceremony at the Knesset on Sunday morning. (photo credit: NOAM MOSKOVICH)
Flags at the Knesset were lowered to half mast in memory of the victims of the Meron disaster in a special ceremony at the Knesset on Sunday morning.
(photo credit: NOAM MOSKOVICH)
Sunday was declared a national day of mourning in Israel following the disaster at Mount Meron in which 45 people were killed on Thursday night after a stampede broke out at the religious bonfire-lighting ceremony for the holiday of Lag Ba'omer.
The proposition to hold a day of mourning was put forward by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and confirmed Friday by a vote among the government's ministers held by telephone.
Following the declaration, state flags were lowered to half-mast at the President's Residence, The Knesset, public buildings, IDF bases and Israeli embassies and consulates. The Foreign Ministry will open a condolence book for diplomats in Israel.
Over the course of the weekend, messages of condolence and solidarity from citizens and officials of other countries were received.
In the IDF, flags were lowered to half-mast and no special events or ceremonies will be held on Sunday.
The flags at Beit HaNasi were lowered to half mast to mark the national day of mourning today, Sunday 2 May 2021 / 20 Iyyar 5781, for the Har Meron disaster. (Photo Credit: MARK NEYMAN/GPO)
The flags at Beit HaNasi were lowered to half mast to mark the national day of mourning today, Sunday 2 May 2021 / 20 Iyyar 5781, for the Har Meron disaster. (Photo Credit: MARK NEYMAN/GPO)
The cabinet meeting scheduled for Sunday, at which ministers were to be appointed to remaining open positions, was cancelled due to the day of mourning. Knesset members were invited to light candles in the lobby of the parliament in honor of the victims.
Knesset speaker Yariv Levin announced that a special session would be held in the Knesset on Monday in which all 120 MKs would be invited to speak about the tragedy.
The education system will dedicate the first hour of studies on Sunday to discussing the event.
Israel's government has declared national days of mourning for the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, the death of presidents Yitzhak Ben-Tzvi and Shimon Peres, and the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy.

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Days of mourning were also declared after the helicopter disaster in which 73 IDF soldiers were killed, the airline suicide hijacking attacks on the US on September 11, 2001, and a plane crash from Israel to Russia in which 78 passengers and crew were killed.


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