Dozens of Arabs Arrested After Wildfires Scorch Israel Authorities say they have proof that at least 17 of the 110 wildfires were started by arsonists By Rory Jones
http://www.wsj.com/articles/dozens-of-arabs-arrested-after-wildfires-scorch-israel-1480273127
TEL AVIV—Israeli police have arrested about two dozen Arabs on suspicion of arson after wildfires spread across the country, local authorities said Sunday, drawing sharp criticism from some politicians as tens of thousands fled their homes.
Police said it wasn’t clear what proportion of the fires in recent days were arson-related, and how many had been started due to windy conditions and dry weather after a long hot summer.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday the fires hadn’t been totally extinguished. He warned that anyone proven to have ignited the blazes would be brought to justice.
“Whoever starts a fire, either by malice or negligence, whoever incites to arson—we will act against them with full force,” he said at a special cabinet meeting in the northern city of Haifa where damage was most serious.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 23 people in custody were found lighting fires or connected to those who had started blazes. Some of them had been caught in the act and chased by police helicopters before being arrested by ground forces, he said.
The alleged arsonists didn’t appear to be coordinated by one group, but “it’s hard to say this is just because of winds,” said Mr. Rosenfeld. “There were several areas where fires started in [a] short space of time. That was significantly suspicious.”
Israel’s Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman also on Sunday said authorities had proof that at least 17 cases of the 110 recorded outbreaks of fires were caused by arsonists. He visited the Jewish settlement of Neve Tzuf in the central West Bank where hundreds evacuated their homes.
The wildfires began late Monday in central Israel and subsequently blazed around Jerusalem, Haifa and Jewish settlements in the Palestinian West Bank, destroying hundreds of homes and causing millions of dollars of damage.
Some 75,000 residents of Haifa were evacuated as whole neighborhoods were hit by the blazes. Israeli health authorities said more than a hundred people had been treated for smoke inhalation and other injuries across the country, but reported no deaths.
Israel’s military deployed thousands of soldiers to join hundreds of firefighters in tackling the fires. Firefighting planes and equipment were flown from the U.S., Russia, Greece, Italy, Turkey and other nations to help. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also sent crews of firefighters and trucks.
Mr. Netanyahu and his defense minister both issued thanks to the Palestinian Authority for sending trucks to help with the infernos. But Mr. Lieberman also called on the government to expand settlement construction in the West Bank to punish those Palestinian and Israeli Arabs who had allegedly started the fires.
Other Israeli leaders also were quick to label the fires a new form of terrorism against Israel. CONTINUE AT SITE
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