[ti:At Least 45 Killed at Israel Religious Festival] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]A crowd of people was involved in a stampede [00:04.12]at a Jewish religious celebration in northern Israel [00:08.84]killing at least 45 people Friday. [00:13.92]About 150 people were injured. [00:18.28]Tens of thousands of conservative Jews, [00:22.28]known as ultra-Orthodox Jews, attended the event. [00:28.92]Officials said the incident was one of the country's [00:33.16]deadliest civilian disasters. [00:36.68]Witnesses said the stampede began [00:40.64]when large numbers of people tried to go through [00:44.32]a narrow path during the event. [00:48.64]A video shows people falling on top of each other [00:52.64]near the end of a path [00:54.60]as they walked down slippery metal steps. [00:59.20]One of the injured people, Avraham Leibe, [01:03.64]told Israeli public broadcaster Kan [01:07.48]that the crowd could not stop [01:09.84]from falling down the steps. [01:12.24]He said, "I saw one after the other fall." [01:17.20]The stampede happened [01:19.64]during the celebrations of Lag BaOmer at Mount Meron. [01:25.08]It was the first mass religious gathering to be held legally [01:31.00]since Israel lifted the country's coronavirus restrictions. [01:36.48]Lag BaOmer draws tens of thousands of people. [01:41.32]Most of them are ultra-Orthodox Jews. [01:46.08]They come each year to honor Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, [01:52.00]a religious leader who lived about 1,800 years ago [01:57.64]and is believed to be buried there. [02:00.84]The crowds traditionally light fires, [02:04.52]pray and dance as part of the celebrations. [02:09.36]This year, an estimated 100,000 people attended the event. [02:16.04]Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [02:20.64]visited Mount Meron on Friday. [02:24.08]He said it was "one of the worst disasters [02:28.36]that has befallen the state of Israel." [02:32.12]He announced Sunday would be a day of national mourning. [02:36.72]Health and rescue officials said at least [02:40.88]45 people were killed in Friday's stampede. [02:45.76]Later in the day, officials were still [02:49.52]trying to identify some of the victims [02:52.76]and contact families with missing relatives. [02:57.68]Zaki Heller, a spokesman for the rescue service, [03:01.84]confirmed that 150 people [03:05.04]had been hurt in the stampede, [03:07.68]with six hospitalized in very serious condition. [03:12.80]He told Israel Army Radio, [03:15.56]"in one moment, we went from a happy event [03:19.20]to an immense tragedy." [03:21.84]The deadly stampede could also affect [03:25.72]the uncertain political situation in Israel. [03:30.96]Netanyahu has so far been unsuccessful [03:34.76]in forming a governing coalition. [03:37.88]He needs the continued support [03:40.96]of ultra-Orthodox political parties. [03:45.16]Over the objections of health officials, [03:48.16]the prime minister told ultra-Orthodox politicians [03:52.44]that the Lag BaOmer celebrations [03:55.52]could take place with few limitations. [03:59.12]At this year's celebrations, police had deployed [04:03.52]5,000 extra forces to maintain order. [04:08.92]A police spokesman said the crowd on Mount Meron [04:13.12]this year was similar to previous years. [04:16.80]But some bonfires were divided [04:20.16]into smaller areas as a COVID-19 safety measure. [04:25.60]Israeli media suggested that may have created [04:30.44]narrow pathways at the celebrations. [04:34.20]Last year, observances on Mount Meron [04:38.44]were limited and private bonfires were not permitted [04:43.00]because of pandemic restrictions. [04:46.12]The Justice Ministry said [04:48.56]police were launching an investigation [04:51.52]into possible wrongdoing by officers. [04:55.84]I'm Bryan Lynn. [04:58.20]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM