Dispute Erupts Over Responsibility for Deadly School Trip Accident
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
A fatal school trip accident in the Upper Galilee, where a student was killed and 24 injured by a cluster munition, has sparked a blame game between the Ministry of Education and the JNF. Minister Yoav Kisch implicated the JNF in route approval, while the JNF denied involvement and stated the area was prohibited. Students reported receiving no warnings about unexploded ordnance. Investigations are ongoing.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- A student died and 24 were injured in a cluster munition explosion during a school trip in the Upper Galilee.
- Minister Yoav Kisch blamed the JNF for approving the route, but the JNF denied responsibility.
- Students reported receiving no warnings about the presence of unexploded ordnance in the area.
- The JNF cited infrastructure issues, not security, for prohibiting access to the site.
- The IDF had approved the trip despite concerns about unexploded ordnance.
- Investigations into the incident are currently underway by the IDF and police.
A day after a tragic accident during a school trip in the Upper Galilee, a dispute has emerged between the Ministry of Education and the Jewish National Fund (JNF) regarding responsibility for the incident. The accident, which occurred in the Ramim Ridge area, resulted in the death of ninth-grader Elazar Yair Vilensky and injuries to 24 others when a cluster munition exploded.
Minister of Education Yoav Kisch claimed that the JNF was involved in approving the route and stated that his ministry acted "in accordance with JNF's limitations." However, the JNF denied any part in approving the trip, asserting that entry to the area had been prohibited. The IDF also confirmed approving the trip despite concerns about unexploded ordnance in the area.
Students who participated in the trip reported that they received no warnings about the dangers of unexploded ordnance. "Nobody warned us or spoke to us about it," they stated. The Ministry of Education maintained that the route did not pass through a prohibited area and that explicit safety instructions, including a ban on touching ordnance, were provided. They added that the circumstances of the event are under investigation by the IDF and police, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and relevant professional bodies.
The JNF stated that their prohibition on travel in the area was due to infrastructure issues, such as unpaved roads and trees, not security concerns, and that while warning signs were posted, no physical barriers were erected. However, a JNF security coordinator for the Upper Galilee noted that work in the area had concluded a month prior.
Initial security force investigations suggest the deceased student found the cluster munition near the marked path and placed it in his bag. The explosion occurred later when the group stopped for prayers. IDF soldiers discovered additional cluster munitions in the vicinity following the incident. The area has been closed by Division 91, with expectations of finding more ordnance in the coming days and weeks.
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