Former Minister of the Interior Testifies at Miron Disaster Investigation Committee
Attorney Yaniv Vaki, representative of former Minister of the Interior, Amir Ohana, testified today at the investigation committee for the Miron disaster. Vaki addressed the claims against Ohana regarding her performance and approval of the event that led to the tragic incident.
The commissioner’s representative on the Miron committee emphasized that they were unable to act differently from the instructions given by the government. The Miron disaster has now put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ohana, and Shabtai in the crosshairs, as the commission of inquiry has sent warning letters to these individuals.
During the testimony, Vaki defended Ohana’s conduct concerning the events of Miron 2021. Vaki stated that Ohana’s position was based on assessments and headquarters work conducted by the police, the Ministry of Internal Security, and the Ministry of Health. The integration of these three headquarters works led to the consensus that the mountain should be opened to the public. These assessments were presented to Ohana in the early stages, taking into account both the COVID-19 situation and the safety protocols.
Vaki further argued that had mass entry been prevented, the disaster in Arad would have been avoided. According to him, the minister was not presented with any information about tangible danger that could occur. Vaki pointed out that not only did the commissioner fail to raise a red flag in front of the minister, but during the meeting with police commanders and relevant professionals, no red flag was presented either. Based on this evidence, Vaki proclaimed that there was no flaw in Minister Ohana’s conduct and no responsibility can be attributed to him for the disaster.
The testimony of Attorney Yaniv Vaki sheds light on the decision-making process leading to the tragedy at Miron. As the investigation committee delves deeper into the events, more revelations are expected, raising important questions about the responsibility of those involved and the measures that could have been taken to prevent the disaster.