Three individuals arrested for spearheading one of Israel's largest forest fires
Follow-up on Jerusalem Forest Fire Situation
Looks like firefighters have managed to control the tremendous forest fire that raged near Jerusalem, as first reported by us and confirmed by The Times of Israel*. The police have apprehended three suspects in connection with the blaze.
Highways are now reopened, and train services have resumed, allowing residents to return to their homes. Though the fire is considered one of Israel's largest in history, it's currently under control.
Initially, Prime Minister Netanyahu attributed the fire to Palestinian arson and stated that 18 individuals had been arrested in connection with it. However, the police have clarified that only three suspects are currently in custody.
Preliminary findings suggest the fires may have resulted from carelessness and negligence on the part of tourists, rather than arson. However, the arson theory has not been entirely ruled out.
Two of the detainees are residents of East Jerusalem. A 19-year-old man was reportedly arrested for inciting fires on social media as revenge for "the destruction of Muslim lands" by Israel, and a 50-year-old man was arrested for allegedly setting a fire in an open field in southern Jerusalem. Details regarding the third detainee are unknown.
Interestingly, on April 30, Israel declared a high threat level due to a major fire in Jerusalem's vicinity. Data reported by the BBC's Russian service indicates that Jerusalem was effectively under a "fiery siege" during the crisis. Six fire sites were reported, and 16 people were hospitalized. The fire even encroached upon the Israeli-Palestinian border.
Israel's entire rescue services, including fire, military aviation, and the IDF, joined forces to combat the inferno. Their coordinated efforts were managed from an emergency headquarters where representatives of all services and the Israel Defense Forces gathered.
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Sources:
[1] Jerusalem Post[2] Times of Israel[3] Haaretz[4] Ynetnews
The third suspect's details remain unknown, adding a layer of mystery to the Jerusalem forest fire situation.The initial arson allegation by Prime Minister Netanyahu, associating the Palestinian community with the fire, seems less likely following the police's clarification.Citing general news sources, Jerusalem was under a "fiery siege" due to the forest fires, with six fire sites reported and 16 people hospitalized.Preliminary findings suggest the fires could have been a result of carelessness and negligence, but crime-and-justice reports detail that some Palestinian residents are still being detained for suspected involvement.
