Netanyahu bans Lag B’Omer celebration in Meron amid fears of Hezbollah attack

Sirens sound in northern Israel as Lebanon ceasefire collapses, prompting Education Ministry to cancel classes in frontier towns.

By World Israel News Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has canceled this year’s mass Lag B’Omer celebration at Mount Meron, amid renewed fire from Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon and tighter Home Front Command restrictions in northern Israel.

The annual event, scheduled for May 5, will not be held in its usual format outside the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, where large crowds traditionally gather for bonfires, prayers and celebrations.

The decision followed new Home Front Command limits capping gatherings at 1,500 people in communities near the Lebanese frontier, as well as in Meron, Bar Yochai, Or HaGanuz and Safsufa. The restrictions took effect Sunday night and were set to remain in force until Monday evening.

The Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu made the decision after several security assessments.

“After several security assessments were held by the prime minister, and in light of the Home Front Command’s updated defense policy beginning April 26, 2026, the prime minister instructed that the events marking the celebration of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Meron will not take place this year in a mass-participation format but only in a symbolic format,” the statement said.

According to the statement, the decision was driven by concern over the fragile ceasefire with Lebanon, Meron’s proximity to the border, rocket fire toward the area and the difficulty of quickly evacuating large numbers of people.

The decision to cancel the traditional Mount Meron Lag B’Omer celebration came hours before sirens sounded in northern Israel on Monday morning, amid a suspected drone infiltration from Lebanon.

The IDF said a suspected Hezbollah drone triggered sirens in the Western Galilee and that additional alerts in the area were later determined to be false alarms.

The Confrontation Line Communities Forum said local leaders would take their own precautions, including halting schools and transportation in threatened communities.

“Despite declarations of a ceasefire, the reality on the ground proves that security along the confrontation line has not been restored, and fire toward our communities continues, including UAVs and sirens today,” the forum said.

Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council and chairman of the forum, said northern communities would not wait for the government to act.

“Our children’s blood is not cheap, and we will not wait for a disaster to make life-saving decisions,” he said.

The cancellation drew pushback from officials involved in organizing the event.

United Torah Judaism MK Meir Porush questioned why the event was being canceled after preparations were nearly complete.

“It is impossible not to give the public even hope,” Porush said.

Yossi Deitsch, the official in charge of the Meron celebration, warned that many worshippers may try to reach the site regardless of the restrictions.

“Last Shabbat there were 10,000 people in Meron, and suddenly on Lag B’Omer you limit it to 1,000?” he said. “People will walk dozens of kilometers to reach Meron at any cost.”