State Comptroller to Review Events Leading to Lag BaOmer Tragedy

State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman announced Monday that he will launch a special review of the events leading to the Lag BaOmer tragedy at Mount Meron.

Engelman’s announcement came amid growing criticism of what is  perceived as officials shrugging off responsibility for the event.

Engelman said during his announcement that the catastrophe “was preventable.”

“I will open a special investigation that will probe the Mount Meron disaster,” Engelman said. “This was a disaster that was preventable. Now the responsibility rests on us to examine how this event could have been prevented.

“Any evidence of personal responsibility that will arise during the investigation will be released in a clear report, as part of a thorough examination of the factors involved. We are obligated to investigate this incident and what happened prior to it, and it is our intention to fully discharge our responsibility completely.”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has yet to decide whether to name a state commission of inquiry to investigate the circumstances of the event, while Public Security Minister Amir Ohana has told associates he “has no intention of resigning” over the disaster.