Public Security Minister Amir Ohana (Likud) has said that he will not resign his position over the Meron disaster, because, “If your conscience is quiet, there is no reason to resign.”

In an interview with Israel Hayom, Ohana said that neither he nor top police officials are at fault for what happened, and that he does not believe any of them should resign over the disaster. He also said that his office and the police will cooperate with any investigation conducted.

“I think that to ask someone if he is sorry about what happened is like asking after a deadly traffic accident if it would have been better not to travel,” Ohana told Israel Hayom.

“Certainly it would have been better not to travel if this was the result, but according to that logic, no one should travel anywhere, ever.”

“In the media discourse, there is confusion between responsibility and fault. It’s not like that. I am responsible for everything that happens and which has a connection to all of the bodies which are connected to my ministry. Responsibility means doing everything so that such events will not occur again. Investigate, learn, take away lessons. The question of fault is a separate legal issue.”

Regarding who is at fault for the disaster, he said: “Unfortunately, this issue has never been properly dealt with. I said already that I and all of those in responsible positions will cooperate with any investigative processes decided on, and that is what we will do.”

When asked why no one was resigning after such an enormous disaster, Ohana said:

“In order to know if things were done properly, I am examining whether the preparations were complete and serious, if they invested enough efforts and personnel in this event. For over half a year, there have been preparations for the events in Meron. I do not know of any similar event, with tens of yeshivas. Nearly 5,000 police officers were at the scene. I am examining if they did all the exercises and preparations necessary, and therefore I do not see any problem with the public security bodies’ actions.”

“If their conscience is clear and they did everything they could to prepare for the event, there’s no reason they should do anything. There is a horrific tragedy here and an enormous disaster.”

“On the day of the event, I visited the injured to hear what had happened. Afterwards, until Shabbat (the Sabbath) began [on Friday night], I helped the families during their difficult moments, in the Forensic Institute, and these days I am dedicated to comforting the mourners. I’m not hearing there what I’m hearing in studios. I’m hearing a lot of talk about unity, that that is what the victims would have wanted. That’s the character of the population that the victims come from. They don’t want the divisions.”

Source: Arutz Sheva