The chairman of the Public Inquiries Committee, MK Yisrael Eichler, sent a letter to the Minister of Transportation, the police, and transportation companies, in which he notes that there are Haredi cities where advance ticket sales for trips to Meron ended two and three days before the celebration, and that thousands of people now have no opportunity to come and participate in the Rashbi's celebration in Meron.
""Following the reduction in public transportation prices and discounts for children, tens of thousands of passengers have been added who wish to attend the Hilula Darshbi in Meron," writes Eichler. "The problem is that every way to reach the mountain has been blocked, except by public transportation. This has created a governmental obligation to provide transportation for every Jew who wishes to pray.".
According to him, many preparations and plans were indeed made in the Ministry of Transportation, and the public also purchased tickets in advance as required, but the unfortunate result is that a few days before Lag B'Omer, tickets are no longer available in Haredi cities. "Out of a desire to control the traffic situation, chaos was created," he says.
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Eichler notes that "instead of adding additional buses from the private market and planning the flow of traffic efficiently, ticket sales were stopped.".
In his letter, he emphasizes: "No one is allowed to limit the number of passengers on Meron.".
In a discussion held in the Public Inquiries Committee three months ago, Eichler said at the time that following the reduction in public transportation prices, there would be a massive increase in the number of immigrants.
The Ministry of Transportation took this into account and added many buses. "All these efforts will be in vain if citizens wishing to travel to Meron on Lag BaOmer remain at the station because the Ministry of Transportation has not approved bringing in additional buses," warned Rabbi Eichler.
In conversations with the police and transportation companies, the committee was told that there is a technical and operational possibility of bringing in additional buses, and that only shuttles are needed to transport the public.
""The public will not accept a planned restriction on the number of immigrants to Mount Zion, on this great and sublime day," Eichler writes to the Minister of Transportation. "Please, give immediate instructions to all levels in the Ministry of Transportation to immediately release permits to rent buses from all over the country, in order to lead the public on the best and straightest path to Mount Zion in Meron.".
