Israeli probe into deadly holy site stampede opens hearings

By ILAN BEN ZION
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli government commission investigating a deadly accident at a holy site in April has held its first day of hearings, almost four months after the stampede at Mount Meron left 45 people dead. A panel headed by former Supreme Court justice Miriam Naor began proceedings Sunday with testimony from Northern District police chief Shimon Lavi, the officer who was in charge of managing the event. The April 29 incident at the Jewish festival in northern Israel was the deadliest civilian disaster in the country’s history. Around 100,000 worshippers, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, attended festivities despite coronavirus regulations limiting assemblies to 500 people.