Almost two years have passed since the State Investigation Committee into the Meron disaster presented its conclusions - but the implementation of one of its main recommendations has reached a dead end.
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According to a report this evening (Thursday) by Moshe Steinmetz on the i24NEWS channel, a dedicated team headed by the Legal Advisor to the Prime Minister, including representatives from the Military Police and the 433rd Military Police, is trying to examine the possibility of opening a criminal investigation against those responsible for the disaster in which 45 people died on Lag BaOmer 5771 - but is unable to make any progress.
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The reason: lack of access to the investigation committee's raw materials.
Upon completion of its work, the committee transferred all documents, protocols, testimonies, and confidential materials to the State Archives, where, by law, they are confidential for 50 years. Access to them will only be possible by special government decision.
Without access to the materials, the team cannot decide whether there is room to reopen a criminal investigation. The fear is that due to the explosions, those responsible for the disaster may escape punishment.
The investigation committee recommended considering opening a criminal investigation against a number of individuals - including a police officer, a safety engineer and security managers at the event. However, the legal team is not allowed to request a copy from the victims or their lawyers - even though some of them have access to the material.
Journalist Moshe Steinmetz noted: "Even I have a copy of the material, but whoever needs to make a decision cannot ask me for it.".
Media consultant Israel Diskind, whose brother Simcha Bonim Diskind, z"l, was killed in the disaster, responded: "This is a dream here. If a government decision is needed, then there will be a government decision. The very decision to lock the findings in the archives and bury this investigation like a donkey's burial is a spit in the face of everyone who was killed in this disaster. A spit that entirely stems from contempt for human life. A country cannot be run in a manner where there is no justice and no jury.".
