Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit made a decision to suspend the criminal investigations of the Meron disaster until the state commission of inquiry completes its investigation.

The decision, which was reached following a meeting between Mandelbit and members of the state commission on Sunday, is intended to prioritize the work of the state inquiry.

Following Mandelbit’s order, the criminal probes of the Israel Police and Justice Ministry’s Police Internal Investigations Department were frozen.

Although the state commission of inquiry has the power to subpoena witnesses, testimonies and reports are not legally permitted to be used as evidence in criminal cases.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)