Dozens killed in stampede at Jewish religious festival in Israel

Jerusalem — A stampede at a religious festival attended by tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews in northern Israel killed at least 44 people and injured some 150 others early on Friday, medical officials said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the stampede during celebrations of the Lag BaOmer festival at Mount Meron "one of the worst disasters to hit the State of Israel."

Tens of thousands of people, mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews, gather each year to honor Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, a 2nd century sage and mystic who is buried there. Large crowds traditionally light bonfires, pray and dance as part of the celebrations.   Photos showed rows of wrapped bodies lying on the ground afterward, with dozens of ambulances at the site. The Haaretz daily quoted witnesses as saying police barricades had prevented people from exiting quickly.