Over four years after the devastating Meron disaster that claimed 45 lives, the State of Israel has agreed to a landmark compensation plan for the families of the victims. The financial agreement, which is expected to be submitted to the court for approval, represents a significant acknowledgment of state accountability in one of the gravest civilian tragedies in recent Israeli history.
The compensation package was developed following proposals by legal representatives of several bereaved families and reflects both the scale of personal loss and the perceived failures of state and religious bodies leading up to the disaster. Under the proposed framework, families of victims aged 24 and under may receive compensation amounts of up to 2.9 million shekels each. The total payout will be jointly funded by the State of Israel, the National Center for the Development of Holy Places, and relevant insurance providers.
Attorneys involved in negotiating the agreement stressed that the payments are not merely financial gestures but also reflect a recognition of systemic negligence. “The writing was on the wall—decades of willful blindness led to a disaster that could have been avoided,” they stated. The compensation aims to address the profound loss while also holding key entities accountable for the circumstances that enabled the tragedy.
The incident occurred on the night of Lag BaOmer in 2021, during the annual pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai on Mount Meron. A deadly crush unfolded in a severely overcrowded passageway, leading to the deaths of 45 people and injuring over 150 others. It remains the deadliest civil disaster in the country’s history.
In March 2024, a State Commission of Inquiry released its long-awaited findings. The commission placed direct blame on multiple officials, including then Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Public Security Minister Amir Ohana, and former Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai. Although no criminal charges were recommended, the report was scathing in its assessment of leadership failures.
The commission recommended that Amir Ohana be barred from future appointment as Public Security Minister. While it stopped short of recommending punitive measures against Netanyahu, it stated there was “reasonable basis to believe” that he knew about the hazardous conditions at the Meron site and failed to act.
