Hell of fire in Jerusalem, where a vast fire is devouring the hills around the city , driven by strong winds and high temperatures. With the risk, warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that it reaches the city.
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 first fires, several arson attacks were started in other locations ," Holy City fire chief Shmulik Friedman said on television.
Hamas has ridden the crisis with an appeal on Telegram: " Palestinians, burn everything you can, woods, forests, houses of the settlers (all Israelis are called settlers by the Palestinians). The youth of the West Bank, Jerusalem, Israel have set fire to their cars... Gaza awaits the revenge of the free ," wrote the fundamentalist organization.
Earlier, a post by the Jenin News Network called on Palestinians to “burn the forests near the settlements.” Some channels cursed Abu Mazen’s PA for offering aid to Israel and called: “Heroes, this is your day. Use the fires and make them grow. Gasoline and a spark can turn Israel into a fiery hell.” The Arab channel Nablus News broadcast an incitement video calling to “turn the night into a day of fire.”
Investigators do not rule out that the wave of fires has something to do with terrorism. But these are delicate investigations, at the moment there is no evidence that the ignition was intentional . The police have only reported the arrest of an arsonist from East Jerusalem reported by witnesses and caught while trying to light brushwood, hours after the other fires had spread. The media reported two other arrests.
The flames spread to seven main locations , some of which are very populous towns. Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem asked citizens not to come to the facility unless absolutely necessary, the staff evacuated patients who did not require hospitalization and prepared to receive any victims of the fires while dozens of smoke intoxication were reported.
The flames reached roads and highways, causing their closure; drivers were forced to abandon their vehicles to seek safety . Trains between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and connections with other cities were suspended for over seven hours; in some cases, travelers were rescued by buses and emergency vehicles.
Netanyahu, who is personally following the developments from the crisis unit, said that two Canadairs are expected shortly from Italy and one from Croatia.
(Unioneonline/L)