DAY 152 OF THE GAZA WAR: Mt. Meron, Gaza Fighting Continues, Houthis Kill Sailers, Gantz in Washington and London

Tel Aviv Diary, March 6, 2024

REPORT ON MT MERON DISASTER

News in Israel today was dominated by the findings of the National Commission of Inquiry regarding the Meron disaster. During this calamity, 45 Israelis lost their lives in a stampede, while attending Lag B’Omer pilgrimage to Mt. Meron. Despite prior warnings, about the potential for such a disaster, and government officials being alerted, no preventive measures were taken. The Commission’s report harshly criticized the government's inaction. It held Prime Minister Netanyahu accountable for the tragedy, although the commission could not recommend his removal from office since he is an elected official.

The Commission did recommend that the Police Commissioner step-down at the end of the war, which nevertheless, coincides with the end of his term. Furthermore, The Commission expressly recommended that Amir Ohana, the current Speaker of the Knesset, should not be reappointed as the Minister of Internal Security, a role Ohana occupied when the tragedy occurred. It took the committee three years to arrive at conclusions that were apparent from the outset. Possibly the most damaging statement in the report was the following:

Generally, and without referring specifically to anyone in particular, we cannot accept the approach to responsibility that was presented to us. Responsibility is a fundamental value in the appropriate conduct of a public office holder. It is the cornerstone that holds together the values of public service. We were presented with a bleak picture regarding the bearing of responsibility. Given this, we first request to clarify our view of the appropriate conception of responsibility for public officials, especially for the senior ones among them.

Regrettably, it appears that, ultimately, no individual will be held accountable.

The Likud’s response to the Commission’s report is almost unimaginable. The Likud brazenly stated:

The Meron disaster is a tragic catastrophe. Our hearts are with the families of the victims. In practice, the government has already implemented the necessary conclusions, and the latest event in Meron was conducted with a large crowd and without any incidents. The government will examine the need to derive additional operational lessons to prevent the recurrence of such a disaster.

However, we regret that for the first time in the history of the state, the government under Bennett and Lapid established a Commission of Inquiry against its right-wing predecessor, and that a central member of the committee is a confidant of Lapid, Shlomo Yanai, who received an offer from him for a spot on the “Yesh Atid” list for the Knesset. This is a completely blatant political defense. Lapid's cynical and directed attempt to turn the Meron disaster into a political weapon will not succeed.             

The Likud’s official response was met with disbelief, even among members of their own coalition. Ultra-Orthodox Ministers have demanded either an explanation, or a retraction of the statement. However, when they reached out to Netanyahu’s office, it was reported that they received no reply.

GAZA

Heavy fighting continued in the Hemed neighborhood of Khan Younis. In an ambush, Hamas managed to kill one soldier and seriously wound another 13. The soldier who was killed was Staff Sergeant David Sasson (21) of the Oketz (Canine) unit.

While I don't know this fallen soldier, his death struck a little close to home, as the daughter of a close friend serves in the Oketz unit … and I know she has been sent into Gaza a number of times.. This is how the IDF Spokesman described the fighting in Gaza, earlier today: