An Israeli news outlet reports the fires as arson. Other reports are reporting the fires as "natural".
An MSM report as follows:
Israel wildfires latest: Firefighters winning 30-hour battle as Jerusalem blaze largely contained
Raging wildfires that threatened Jerusalem are finally under control, Israel’s fire and rescue service has said, following a 30-hour battle as aid arrived from Europe.
About 5,000 acres, including 3,000 acres of forest, have been scorched since the blaze started in the hills outside the city on Wednesday.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the situation a national emergency, pleading for international aid. Firefighter planes from Greece, Cyprus, Croatia and Italy were sent to tackle the blaze, with reports saying that Ukraine, Spain, France and some other nations were also committed to sending aid.
The cause of the fires remained unclear, although Mr Netanyahu said that 18 people had been arrested on suspicion of igniting the fires.
Seven countries sent support to Israel
Seven countries sent firefighting aid to Israel as emergency services battled large blazes.
Italy, Croatia, Spain, France, Ukraine, and Romania sent planes to help battle the fires, while North Macedonia and Cyprus sent water-dropping aircraft.
Israel’s fire and rescue authority said the fires is the most significant the country has seen in a decade.
The fire has burned nearly 6,000 acres, but the authority’s spokesperson Tal Volvovitch said the wildfire has "miraculously" not damaged any homes.
As firefighters gained control over the massive wildfires that scorched the hills west of Jerusalem, Israeli authorities on Friday turned their focus to the cause of the blaze which has prompted conflicting statements from top officials.
Fire and Rescue Services have pointed to hiker negligence as the likely trigger. The blaze is believed to have started in the Eshtaol forest near Mesilat Zion, an area that was crowded with hikers on Wednesday, Israel’s Memorial Day.
However, some have speculated that the blaze was a result of deliberate arson, with several people arrested over suspicion of starting the fires.
Israel's far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ordered the dispatch of some 14,000 security personnel across Israel, amid suspicion arson could be behind the fires, according to Anadolu Ajansı.
Yair Netanyahu, the son of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, appeared to suggest that left-wing activists could be behind the large fires raging in the Jerusalem hills, according to Israeli media.
“Something here is suspicious,” wrote the premier’s son on X.
“The Kaplanist left has been frantically trying in recent weeks to cancel Independence Day celebrations and the torch-lighting ceremony.”
The fires near Jerusalem have burned over 6,000 acres of land, making them among the most significant in Israel's recent history.
The affected areas include extensive pine forests, agricultural lands, and parts of the Eshtaol Forest near Mesilat Zion. MSN
