ALBAWABA - In the Jerusalem Hills, more than 24,000 dunams of forest and land have already been burned by one of the most destructive wildfires Israel has seen in years. Strong winds and intense heat have fanned the flames, forcing large-scale evacuations and igniting intense internal conflicts among Israeli officials.
As fires threaten many neighborhoods, evacuation efforts are ongoing, according to Israeli authorities. In response to concerns that the flames would grow further and perhaps even reach Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed a state of emergency on Wednesday.
A special operations center has been established to oversee evacuations, according to the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. Reconstruction is expected to cost millions of dollars, according to preliminary estimates.
Fires Quickly Spread to Several Fronts
At least nine localities, including Beit Meir, Shoresh, Sha'ar HaGai, Nave Ilan, and Canada Park, are still experiencing flames that started early Wednesday in forested regions between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
According to weather projections, sustained winds might cause the flames to spread farther. According to Yedioth Ahronoth and other Israeli media, more than 24,000 dunams have already been set on fire.
Twelve firemen, including Fire Commissioner Eyal Kaspi, are among the 20 individuals wounded thus far.
Highway 1, the primary highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, has been blocked by authorities due to mass evacuations and disruptions. A mental hospital (Etanim) and institutions for the elderly and addicts in recovery are among the populations that have been evacuated.
If necessary, plans are in place to evacuate Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. The number of patients has already been decreased as a precaution.
In the meanwhile, train operations are switching to diesel power in case the electric system is disrupted by flames.
This could be the biggest wildfire in Israel, according to Shmuel Friedman, who is in charge of firefighting activities in Jerusalem. He said, "We are dealing with an unprecedented situation," but he also confirmed that the reasons are still being looked at.
"This is a national emergency," Netanyahu said, underscoring the gravity. The protection of Jerusalem is our first concern.
Itamar Ben Gvir, the minister of national security, made a suggestion that the fires may be caused by arson. An East Jerusalem guy who was reportedly attempting to start another fire was taken into custody by police.
Ben Gvir promised to arrest everyone participating in "arson terror." Nationwide, he sent more than 14,000 emergency personnel.
Security authorities cautioned that it was too soon to conclusively attribute the fires to intentional acts.
Shin Bet, Israel's internal security agency, has joined the probe in the meantime.
International Support and Postponed Festivities
Gideon Sa'ar, the foreign minister, called on European countries to assist. Firefighting planes have already been committed by France, Spain, Romania, Croatia, and Italy. Britain, Sweden, and other countries received more requests.
Serious internal strife between government entities has been brought on by the situation. Ben Gvir was charged by the Israeli Air Force of making a fraudulent allegation that he had activated Samson aircraft for firefighting, according to Maariv. According to the Air Force, the fire department first turned down assistance in order to save money.
Ben Gvir was chastised by former National Security Ministry Director Tomer Lotan for compromising firefighting readiness. He said that plans to buy Black Hawk helicopters were not carried out, despite a 2022 National Security Council report's recommendation.
The prime minister's son, Yair Netanyahu, fueled the debate on social media by speculating that the fires may have been started by Israeli leftists to sabotage Independence Day festivities. He made the controversial statement, "I hope Arabs are behind this, not the left,"
