An paramedic described on TV that he found a “wall of bodies” on the spot. It took about 40 minutes for all the dead and injured to be removed. He called it “one of the worst, if not the worst, incidents” he had seen in his thirty years as a counselor.
Strong criticism
Calls in Israeli society for a comprehensive investigation into the disaster are growing louder. Experts have warned for years that the religious festival is a danger because of the large crowds and narrow passages. In 2008, a government inspection service also came to the same conclusion.
The corona pandemic provides an extra dimension to the criticism. People want to know why the authorities let the festival go ahead with about 100,000 visitors. Those numbers are many times higher than what is officially allowed because of corona.
The Justice Department has begun an investigation into possible misconduct by the officers. Police barricades blocked the flow in crucial places, a number of eyewitnesses claim.
Because of the disaster, a national day of mourning has been declared for tomorrow.
–
