Overview
- The Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage announced Thursday that no official Lag BaOmer hilula will take place at Mount Meron this year.
- Under a temporary law, entry during the hilula must be by designated public buses and tickets to cap crowds, and officials said the Transport Ministry would not operate that system or run government-funded transport.
- Hours earlier, the Home Front Command chief agreed to take responsibility for a tightly controlled event and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir dropped his objection, but the plan unraveled once transport operations stalled.
- Security agencies warned that uncontrolled crowds under rocket threat from the north could lead to mass casualties, and recordings aired this week described organized plans to cut fences and force entry.
- Major communities have moved or scaled back events, with Rav Meilech Biderman’s lighting shifted to Jerusalem and Karlin-Stolin holding main gatherings in Givat Ze’ev, as thousands who arrived early at Meron face strict enforcement and possible turnbacks.