 "Netanyahu declares national emergency as Israel witnesses worst wildfires in a decade")
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised concerns about the rapidly spreading wildfires in the country as he declared a national emergency. On Wednesday, thick smoke billowed above highways near Jerusalem as firefighters rushed to control the blaze. The fires have injured several people and prompted the military to deploy troops to help.
Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue agency called it the worst wildfire in years and maintained that hundreds of civilians were at risk. MDA mentioned that it has provided treatment to around 23 people, 13 of whom were taken to the hospital, the majority suffering from smoke inhalation and burns. Among those injured were two pregnant women and two infants under a year old.
The alert level that is currently in place has been raised to the highest tier as firefighters struggle to control the blaze. Yuval Aharoni, 40, told AFP what is happening on the ground. “It’s just very sad because we knew the weather, we kind of knew that would happen, and still we feel like they weren’t ready enough with the big planes that can drop large amounts of water," he said.
PM raises alarm
Amidst the wildfires, Netanyahu warned that “the western wind can push the fire easily towards the outskirts of [Jerusalem] – and even into the city itself." “We need to bring as many fire engines as possible and create firebreaks well beyond the current fire lines … We are now in a national emergency, not just a local one,” he said in a video statement on Wednesday. “The priority right now is defending Jerusalem,” he added.
Meanwhile, authorities have shut down the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway and evacuated residents along the route as brushfires broke out again in an area ravaged by blazes a week ago. In a televised press conference, Fire Chief Eyal Caspi warned that “our aircraft can’t do anything right now due to the weather conditions… Our goal is to save lives”. “We are apparently facing the largest fire in Israel in a decade.”
The Israeli police said in a post on X that they have deployed forces around the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway and the Jerusalem Hills, asking the public to “avoid travelling to the area”.National security minister Itamar Ben Gvir hinted that arson could be behind the fires. Police said they had arrested a resident of East Jerusalem who was caught “attempting to set fire to a field in the southern part of the city”. However, there was no official declaration that the two attacks were interrelated.
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