Jerusalem, 3 May, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel canceled this year’s Lag B’Omer pilgrimage to Mount Meron amid tightened security restrictions in northern Israel as fighting with Hezbollah continued over the weekend, police announced on Sunday.
“Amid the security threats in northern Israel, avoiding blocked routes is the right way to preserve Jewish tradition joyfully and safely,” Israel Police said in a statement.
Road closures around Mount Meron in the Upper Galilee began Sunday and will expand Monday morning ahead of the holiday, which begins Monday evening. Authorities said the restrictions will remain in place through Wednesday, effectively preventing the annual mass gathering at the tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. The annual pilgrimage to his grave usually draws hundreds of thousands of people.
The decision followed updated emergency regulations signed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu limiting outdoor gatherings to 200 people and indoor events to 600 in affected northern communities, including the Merom HaGalil Regional Council area surrounding Meron.
The Israel Defense Forces said it destroyed more than 120 Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon during the weekend, including weapons caches, command and control sites and other targets, and ordered the evacuation of nine villages. The Iran-backed Hezbollah has been launching rockets and drones carrying explosives at soldiers and at northern Israel despite a ceasefire. Hezbollah renewed its attacks on Israel after Israel assassinated Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Lag B’Omer, which falls this year on the evening of May 4 and continues the following day, is marked by large bonfires, prayer gatherings and festivities. The mountain is also the location of a sensitive military air traffic control base, which has been a frequent target of Hezbollah rockets and drones.
Police warned that checkpoints on roads leading to Meron would strictly enforce the restrictions. Entry will only be permitted to authorized individuals and residents able to present identification proving they live in the area.
“Anyone attempting to enter Meron without authorization or proof of residence will not be allowed in,” police said.
Border Police units were deployed in nearby forests and surrounding areas using surveillance equipment and off-road vehicles to prevent unauthorized attempts to reach the mountain on foot.
Authorities also expressed concern over online calls encouraging confrontations with police. Officers said they had identified “serious and extreme publications” urging people, particularly in Haredi communities, to bring pepper spray and other items to attack security personnel.
Forty-five people were killed and 150 people were injured in a stampede at the grave during Lag B’Omer celebrations in 2021. The tragedy, Israel’s worst civilian disaster, was triggered by a combination of overcrowded conditions and a faulty walkway in a narrow passage. A state commission of inquiry held Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally responsible.