Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a national emergency on Wednesday as wildfires rapidly spread near Jerusalem, threatening to engulf the city.
Thick smoke filled the air above highways near Jerusalem as firefighters struggled to contain the fires, which have already injured several people.
In response to the escalating situation, the Israeli military has deployed troops and additional resources to assist in firefighting efforts.
The Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue agency reported that hundreds of civilians were at risk due to the wildfires, which are the worst the country has seen in years.
MDA reported that they had treated around 23 people, with 13 of them being hospitalized, mainly for smoke inhalation and burns. \Among those affected were two pregnant women and two infants under the age of one. Due to the severity of the fires, the alert level was raised to the highest tier.
Yuval Aharoni, a resident near Modiin, expressed his concern as fires burned on a nearby hillside. “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.
Netanyahu echoed the urgency, warning that the western wind could push the fire toward Jerusalem and potentially into the city itself. He emphasized the need to bring in more fire engines and create firebreaks well beyond the current fire lines to protect the city.
“We are now in a national emergency, not just a local one,” he stated in a video address, prioritizing the defense of Jerusalem.
As the fires continued to rage, police closed the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway and evacuated residents along the route.
This area had already been affected by wildfires a week earlier. Yosef Aaron, a student at the scene, described the situation as dire: “A lot of police arrived, a lot of firefighters, but it didn’t help. The fire had already completely taken over the whole area here.”
Fire chief Eyal Caspi warned that due to unfavorable weather conditions, aircraft were unable to assist with firefighting efforts. He described the current wildfire as the largest in Israel in a decade.
The police deployed in force around the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway and the Jerusalem Hills, urging the public to avoid traveling to the area. Helicopters were seen working to extinguish the flames near the main road between Latrun and Bet Shemesh.
In addition to local firefighters, soldiers from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) arrived to assist. The IDF deployed troops from the Search and Rescue Brigade and a regional unit from Jerusalem, along with 50 fire trucks from the Homefront Command and the Technological and Logistics Directorate.
The army worked alongside firefighters in the Jerusalem Hills to contain the fire. Overnight, engineering vehicles were mobilized to create fire lines to prevent the flames from spreading further.
Several communities, located approximately 19 miles west of Jerusalem, were evacuated as the fire continued to spread. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir suggested that arson could be behind some of the fires.
Police arrested a resident of East Jerusalem for allegedly attempting to set fire to a field, though there was no official declaration linking arson to the current wildfires.
MDA ambulance teams were positioned near affected communities, ready to provide medical treatment and assist residents. Strong winds and high temperatures allowed the fires to spread quickly, leading to evacuations in at least five communities.
Ben Gvir visited the affected area and assured that efforts were being made to bring additional assistance and evacuate stranded civilians.
The Israeli foreign ministry reached out to neighboring countries, including Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, and Bulgaria, for help. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with Israel and offered material support to aid in the firefighting efforts.
Netanyahu’s office confirmed that three aircraft from Italy and Croatia would be arriving soon to assist with the firefighting operations.
With firefighting personnel stretched thin, Ben Gvir made the decision to cancel evening events related to Thursday’s Independence Day celebrations, which would have required the presence of firefighters.
The decision was made to reallocate resources to combat the fires and prepare for worsening weather conditions as forecasted.
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