Northern District Police Commander Shimon Lavi on Monday evening informed Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai of his intention to resign from the police service in the near future.
Lavi’s resignation comes over a year after the Meron disaster, which took place in his district. Lavi is expected to be one of the key witnesses to receive a letter of warning from the State Commission of Inquiry into the Meron disaster, at which he was the first to testify.
“Immediately after the disaster, I said that I – as the commander of the event – bear responsibility – without excuses or rationalizations,” Lavi wrote in his resignation letter. ” I never pointed fingers, not even at those who were also responsible for the event.”
Lavi stated in the letter that he waited over a year after the event to resign due to pressing issues he felt responsible for, including the rising crime in the Arab sector.
A police statement said that Shabtai thanked Lavi for his service and wished him success in his future endeavors. “As the Northern District Commander, Lavi has been active in many areas, with an emphasis on the fight against crime in the Arab sector and the increase of forces for the future.”
Yisrael Diskind of the Forum For Families of the Meron Tragedy, brother of Meron victim Simcha Bunin Diskind, z’l, said: “I was happy to hear about Lavi’s decision to retire from his position as commander of the Northern District. The decision should have come immediately after the disaster that took the lives of 45 civilians, including my beloved brother. I call on Police Commissioner Shabtai to adopt Lavi’s step and submit his resignation today. Lavi’s resignation is a wake-up call to all those responsible for the Meron disaster: Take responsibility!”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
He could resign for this year’s mess as well.
Any real Yarei Shamayim would not place the “blame” upon the police or the ushers just as they they wouldn’t put the blame on the bus driver who drove him up there just as we don’t “blame Hashem” – we accept it! It was a horrible, painful,
sad Gezayra Min Shamayim. It’s terribly painful for me to say this: in fact we lost a cousin in the terrible gezayra! Hashem took 45 karbanos in one of the most holy places on the planet just as He took Nadav & Avihu. Everyone who went knew that it would be terribly crowded as it was every year till then. Every year Hashem did not issue a Gezayra and in 5781 He did.
May Yisrael Diskind and all the other families find nichum: SOMEHOW.
Yaapchik what a silly comment, so a yerei shomayim would not blame the germans? (Sorry for the holocaust reference) gimme a break
This guy killed people by wosners levaya, by meron last year, fughts by meron and the ohr hachayim hakodosh this year. And you want us not to blame him?