Firefighters successfully contained the wildfires on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Thursday after battling the flames for a second consecutive day, according to Israel’s fire and rescue service.
Officials reopened the primary highway connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and permitted evacuees to return to their homes in both Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
“The large fire has been declared under control,” the fire and rescue service announced in a statement Thursday evening.
On Thursday morning, firefighters rushed to extinguish the fires ahead of forecasted stronger winds, said Tal Volvovitch, spokesperson for the fire and rescue service.
The exact cause of the fires remains unclear. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that 18 suspects had been detained, including one individual caught in the act. However, Aryeh Doron, an Israeli police spokesperson, clarified that only three people have been arrested on suspicion of arson.
Netanyahu previously described the combination of strong winds, dry conditions, and open shrubland as a “deadly mix” that intensified the fires. On Thursday, Israeli police detained a 19-year-old from a Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem for posting messages on social media supporting the wildfires.
Volvovitch noted that firefighting aircraft from Croatia, Italy, and Cyprus were expected to arrive Thursday afternoon to assist Israeli efforts.
The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has also offered assistance, according to senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh. However, Volvovitch suggested they would not participate in the firefighting operations.
In 2021, Palestinian firefighters joined Israeli teams to combat a similar wildfire near Jerusalem. Despite frequent criticism of the Palestinian Authority by the current Israeli government, the two continue to cooperate closely on West Bank security matters.
Israel’s fire and rescue service issued a ban on open fires until May 7 but allowed Israelis to hold barbecues in designated areas. Each year, many Israelis celebrate Independence Day by gathering in parks and on beaches for outdoor grilling.
