Firefighters continued to combat wildfires on the outskirts of Jerusalem for a second consecutive day, aiming to extinguish some of the most severe blazes in recent years before anticipated increases in wind later on Thursday.
The authorities reopened the main highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and permitted evacuees to return to their homes in Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank after the fires disrupted Independence Day celebrations.
Firefighters were working diligently to gain full control of the fires before the forecasted winds intensified, according to Tal Volvovitch, a spokeswoman for Israel’s fire and rescue service. “We’re doing everything we can to finish in the coming hours because the wind gusts can bring us back to where we started,” she stated.
The precise cause of the fires remains unclear, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported that 18 individuals had been detained on suspicion of arson, including one caught in the act. However, Aryeh Doron, a spokesman for the Israeli police, indicated that only three arrests had been made related to arson.
On Wednesday, Mr. Netanyahu noted that strong winds, dryness, and open areas with shrubbery had created a “deadly combination” that exacerbated the fires. On Thursday, police arrested a 19-year-old man from a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem for allegedly expressing support for the wildfires on social media.
Firefighting aircraft from Croatia, Italy, and Cyprus were scheduled to arrive on Thursday afternoon to assist in the firefighting efforts, according to Ms. Volvitch.
The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has also offered assistance, as stated by Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official. However, Ms. Volvitch suggested that they would not be participating in the firefighting operations.
In 2021, Palestinian firefighters collaborated with Israeli teams to manage a similar wildfire near Jerusalem. The current Israeli government has often criticized the Palestinian Authority, despite their close cooperation on security matters in the West Bank.
Israel’s fire and rescue service has issued a ban on lighting fires in open areas until May 7, although it has allowed barbecues in designated locations. Many Israelis traditionally gather in parks and beaches for barbecues on Independence Day, which commemorates the founding of the country.