The crisis over the pilgrimage celebration at Mount Meron was resolved after the state agreed to bear any payment or fine imposed on the Committee of Five regarding the upcoming Lag B'Omer event. The report was published by Channel 12 News.
Following the commitment, the Committee of Five removed its opposition to the entry of professional teams sent by the government to the site, and the Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs will now manage the entire event.
The solution comes after days of a severe crisis. Earlier today, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who is responsible for the pilgrimage of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, appealed to the Israel Police, demanding that it exercise its authority and allow the continuation of preparation work.
The appeal came after the Israel Police informed the Committee of Five yesterday (Wednesday) that approval for holding the pilgrimage would not be granted at this stage due to serious delays in safety work at the site.
In a letter sent by the Northern District police, a troubling picture was described: production companies and infrastructure contractors were being prevented from entering the area, and critical work had not yet been completed - including the installation of fences, paving evacuation routes, fire suppression infrastructure, and safety systems. Police warned that without completion of the work, the event would not be approved, and responsibility for any loss of life would fall personally on committee members.
The director of the Committee of Five, Uri Vizovsky, rejected the claims and blamed the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage for failing to respond to his request submitted 10 days earlier.
Minister Shlomo Karhi clarified to police that “responsibility for managing and preparing the pilgrimage lies with the minister and the ministry. No other parties have the authority to delay the execution of the work," and requested police assistance in removing obstacles and preventing disruptions.
Now, with the dispute resolved, less than two weeks remain to complete preparations for the pilgrimage.