Overview
- Police operating overnight into Tuesday removed hundreds trying to reach Mount Meron for the pilgrimage and put them on buses away from the area.
- Thousands were still on the mountain under tight control, with limited bonfires held, and some worshippers reached the site by walking long distances through forests and unpaved paths.
- Magen David Adom said 23 people from Meron were taken to hospitals, most with minor issues, and one man in his 50s was in moderate condition with a head injury.
- Large alternative Lag BaOmer events drew crowds abroad, including a mass bonfire in Kiryas Joel, New York, and parades and celebrations in London coordinated with local police and security groups.
- Officials and commentators pointed to wartime safety limits and Meron’s narrow access and infrastructure as reasons the pilgrimage may need a different structure in future years.