Israel: Demonstrators Blame Police for Stampede during Netanyahu Visit

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Protesters gathered outside a police perimeter as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site of the deadly stampede in Meron, on Friday. Dozens of demonstrators expressed their outrage at police setting up fences, which they blame for last night's deaths. "The police had no reason to put fences, this is why people slipped and fell on the water and this is how 44 Jews were killed today. It's only the police fault, no one asked them to put those fences," said Nahman, one of the protesters, who added that Netanyahu "takes advantage of the event, he comes to cover for the Israeli police." At least 45 people have died and 150 were injured as tens of thousands of revellers gathered near Mount Meron, in northern Israel, for the Lag B'Omer Jewish festival. The incident took place as tens of thousands of primarily ultra-Orthodox Jews participated in the annual event, around the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a 2nd-century Tannaitic sage. The festival was the largest event taking place in the country since the beginning of the pandemic. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident 'one of the worst tragedies Israel has known.'