01-05-2025
Israel fires still not under control as government calls for international assistance
Firefighters in Israel were for a second day battling what authorities said might be the largest wildfires in country's history, which has forced the evacuation of seven communities and burnt nearly 2,500 hectares of land. Dozens have been injured in the blazes which began on Wednesday morning and are concentrated in the hills surrounding Jerusalem. Some motorists who were forced to abandon their cars on motorways were among the injured. All roads have been reopened but firefighters say the situation is still not under control. More than 100 teams are working at 11 sites on the outskirts of Jerusalem, according to the National Fire Service, alongside 10 firefighting planes. Eight more aircraft were expected to arrive from Cyprus and Italy on Thursday. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on X that he had spoken to counterparts in Argentina, Spain and the UK, among others, about providing aircraft to help fight the fires. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed 'full solidarity with the Israeli people facing terrible fires' and said France was ready to provide assistance "in the coming hours". President Isaac Herzog said the wildfires were in part the result of climate change. Intense, dry heat and high winds have also been blamed. A number of events for Israel's Independence Day have been cancelled. Authorities have banned people from visiting parks and forests, and from lighting fires in public places. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the fires could "easily" reach the outskirts of Jerusalem or even the city itself. The commander in charge of firefighting in the Jerusalem area on Wednesday evening said the immediate cause of the fires was unclear and that he was 'not dealing with this' currently. Law enforcement has said it is investigating whether some of the fires were started intentionally. On Wednesday evening, Israel's police arrested a 50-year-old resident of East Jerusalem on suspicion of attempted arson. Police said he was found with a lighter and flammable materials. The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank, offered to help in the firefighting effort, as has happened in previous instances. Many of the affected areas border Palestinian territory, where an Israeli military presence and a lack of resources could hamper any emergency response.
