A massive fire is engulfing the hills around Jerusalem, fueled by strong winds and extreme temperatures. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned of the danger as the fire approaches the city. All events scheduled for the remembrance of fallen soldiers and the start of Independence Day have been canceled, and Israel has declared a state of emergency.
“We are facing perhaps the largest fire ever in the country. We have no idea what caused it. I can say that after the initial fires, several arson attacks have been set in other locations,” said Jerusalem Fire Department commander Shmulik Friedman on TV. Hamas has taken advantage of the crisis with an incendiary message on Telegram: “Palestinians burn everything you can, forests, houses of settlers (all Israelis are called settlers by Palestinians).
Youth from the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Israel have set fire to their cars… Gaza awaits the revenge of the free,” the fundamentalist organization wrote. Even before that, a post from the Jenin News Network urged Palestinians to “burn the forests near settlements.” Some channels cursed Abu Mazen’s Palestinian Authority for offering help to Israel and called for action: “Heroes, this is your day. Use the fires and make them grow. Gasoline and a spark can turn Israel into a hell of fire.”
On the Nablus News Arabic channel, a video was released encouraging people to “turn the night into a day of fire.” An anonymous Israeli security source reported that investigators do not rule out terrorism as the cause of the wave of fires. However, delicate investigations are ongoing, and there is currently no proof that the ignition was intentional. The Shin Bet (domestic intelligence) is involved in the investigations, fueling authorities’ fears. The police have only reported the arrest of a Jerusalem East arsonist identified by witnesses and caught while trying to set fire to brush, hours after the other fires had spread. The media report two more arrests.
The flames have spread to seven main locations, some of which are densely populated towns. The Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem has asked citizens not to come to the facility unless absolutely necessary. Staff evacuated patients who did not require hospitalization and prepared to receive any fire victims, while dozens of people have been affected by smoke inhalation. Emergency forces have prepared to evacuate the Alin Hospital in Jerusalem in the evening. The flames have reached roads and highways, causing closures, with motorists forced to abandon their vehicles to escape.
Trains between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and connections to other towns were suspended for over seven hours, with travelers in some cases being rescued by buses and emergency vehicles. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has requested international assistance and spoken with counterparts from Italy, the UK, France, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Argentina, Spain, North Macedonia, and Azerbaijan. He also spoke with Antonio Tajani, who confirmed immediate activation of Italy’s Civil Protection Department. Netanyahu, overseeing the crisis response personally, announced that two Canadair aircraft are expected from Italy and one from Croatia. In addition to over a hundred fire department teams, the army is also involved with its equipment and aircraft in the massive firefighting operation. For the first time in the country’s history, the most-watched broadcaster, Channel 12, announced live on air that the studio was being evacuated as the fire reached the Neve Ilan headquarters during the news broadcast.
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