Palestinians Reject The Blame For Israeli Wildfires
By Danny Quest, MintPress,
December 2, 2016.
December 2, 2016.
A burned tree following wildfires
in Haifa, Israel, Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. Israeli firefighters reined in a blaze
that had spread across the country’s third-largest city and forced tens of
thousands of people to flee their homes, but continued to battle more than a
dozen other fires around the country for the fourth day in a row. (AP
Photo/Ariel Schalit)
in Haifa, Israel, Friday, Nov. 25, 2016. Israeli firefighters reined in a blaze
that had spread across the country’s third-largest city and forced tens of
thousands of people to flee their homes, but continued to battle more than a
dozen other fires around the country for the fourth day in a row. (AP
Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Tempers flared in Israel as
leaders such as the Security Minister Gilad Erdan call for the homes of “politically motivated
arsonists to be demolished.”
leaders such as the Security Minister Gilad Erdan call for the homes of “politically motivated
arsonists to be demolished.”
This promoted the idea that the
wildfires in Israel, which began on November 22nd and spread to over 600
locations from as far south as the Dead Sea area north
to Nahariya,
were started by Arab terrorists. Calling the fires “a new type of terrorism,”
many of Israel’s nationalists are getting on board with the idea that Arab
terrorists started the wildfires, although Israeli police are withholding
information regarding the specific allegations against more than half of the
suspected arsonists it is currently holding.
wildfires in Israel, which began on November 22nd and spread to over 600
locations from as far south as the Dead Sea area north
to Nahariya,
were started by Arab terrorists. Calling the fires “a new type of terrorism,”
many of Israel’s nationalists are getting on board with the idea that Arab
terrorists started the wildfires, although Israeli police are withholding
information regarding the specific allegations against more than half of the
suspected arsonists it is currently holding.
According to the police, 23
people are currently under arrest in relation to the fires; an additional seven
have been released. The police released basic details regarding only 10 of
them, all allegedly involved in minor fires and not in the larger blazes like
those outside Jerusalem, Zichron Ya’akov or Haifa.
people are currently under arrest in relation to the fires; an additional seven
have been released. The police released basic details regarding only 10 of
them, all allegedly involved in minor fires and not in the larger blazes like
those outside Jerusalem, Zichron Ya’akov or Haifa.
In these cases, the circumstances
raise questions over the suspected political motivation ascribed to the accused
arsonists. For example, a Nazareth resident whose arrest has been extended is
suspected of arson in his own Arab-majority city. In another case, two suspects
are accused of starting a brush fire between Sajur and Beit Jann, both of which
are almost entirely Arab communities.
raise questions over the suspected political motivation ascribed to the accused
arsonists. For example, a Nazareth resident whose arrest has been extended is
suspected of arson in his own Arab-majority city. In another case, two suspects
are accused of starting a brush fire between Sajur and Beit Jann, both of which
are almost entirely Arab communities.
Fires in Israel have been cheered
in online comments from Gaza and Arab countries, but many Palestinians say,
“These are our trees and lands, so why destroy them?”
in online comments from Gaza and Arab countries, but many Palestinians say,
“These are our trees and lands, so why destroy them?”
The Israeli security
establishment increasingly insists that several of the wildfires may have been
politically motivated cases of arson, though most of the fires were caused by
extreme wind gusts and drought.
establishment increasingly insists that several of the wildfires may have been
politically motivated cases of arson, though most of the fires were caused by
extreme wind gusts and drought.
Israel Police Chief Roni Alsheich
has confirmed that arrests have been made in connection to the fires spreading
throughout Israel. The Associated Press reported that four Palestinians have
been arrested. Alsheich also said that if the fires were in fact acts of arson,
he believed that they were not organized, but were instead the result of people
“taking advantage of the opportunity.”
has confirmed that arrests have been made in connection to the fires spreading
throughout Israel. The Associated Press reported that four Palestinians have
been arrested. Alsheich also said that if the fires were in fact acts of arson,
he believed that they were not organized, but were instead the result of people
“taking advantage of the opportunity.”
The police chief said that a
special unit of investigators handles cases of suspected arson and that those
responsible probably had political motives.
special unit of investigators handles cases of suspected arson and that those
responsible probably had political motives.
The Joint Arab List Chair Aymen Udeh a prominent member of the
Israeli left said that incitement against Arabs needs to stop in wake of the
fires raging across Israel.
Israeli left said that incitement against Arabs needs to stop in wake of the
fires raging across Israel.
I don’t know if it’s an Arab or not. If it is, a
severe punishment is in order. We’re all together to try and save this
beautiful place. I’m a son of Haifa and the Carmel, but the most important
thing right now is to save this place. It’s not important if it’s Jews or
Arabs, Haifa and the Carmel belong to all of us. This harms everyone.
severe punishment is in order. We’re all together to try and save this
beautiful place. I’m a son of Haifa and the Carmel, but the most important
thing right now is to save this place. It’s not important if it’s Jews or
Arabs, Haifa and the Carmel belong to all of us. This harms everyone.
Palestinian farmer Umm Yasser Abu
Kharmah, 73, collects olives in a barrel during harvest in the West Bank
village of Kufr Ein, on the outskirts of Ramallah, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009.
Palestinians began the annual harvest of olives, a staple for many local
farmers who also use them to make oil. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
Kharmah, 73, collects olives in a barrel during harvest in the West Bank
village of Kufr Ein, on the outskirts of Ramallah, Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009.
Palestinians began the annual harvest of olives, a staple for many local
farmers who also use them to make oil. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
The Palestinian Authority sent in
four teams of elite firefighters to help fight the blazes. Three firefighting
teams from the Palestinian authority were sent to the town of Neve Tzuf
(Halamish) in Samaria where they helped save the homes of 350 mostly Jewish
families who were evacuated.
four teams of elite firefighters to help fight the blazes. Three firefighting
teams from the Palestinian authority were sent to the town of Neve Tzuf
(Halamish) in Samaria where they helped save the homes of 350 mostly Jewish
families who were evacuated.
It was not be the first time
that Palestinian firefighters aided Israel. 19 Palestinian
firefighters helped fight 2010’s deadly blaze in the Carmel
forest. Israeli security forces originally turned them down because, they said,
they wouldn’t be able to spare soldiers to supervise them; however on the third
morning of the fire, the Israelis changed their minds, and within four hours,
19 Palestinian firefighters were packed and on their way to the Carmel forest.
The 19 firefighters who assisted in the Carmel fire were from Bethlehem,
Ramallah and Jenin.
that Palestinian firefighters aided Israel. 19 Palestinian
firefighters helped fight 2010’s deadly blaze in the Carmel
forest. Israeli security forces originally turned them down because, they said,
they wouldn’t be able to spare soldiers to supervise them; however on the third
morning of the fire, the Israelis changed their minds, and within four hours,
19 Palestinian firefighters were packed and on their way to the Carmel forest.
The 19 firefighters who assisted in the Carmel fire were from Bethlehem,
Ramallah and Jenin.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu reportedly called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on
Saturday night to thank him for sending firefighting teams and trucks to help
Israel put out fires. In total several countries including Cyprus, Russia,
Croatia, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Egypt, Azerbaijan, France, and Ukraine
sent planes, trucks and helicopter crews to help combat the fires which are
just coming under control as this is being written.
Netanyahu reportedly called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on
Saturday night to thank him for sending firefighting teams and trucks to help
Israel put out fires. In total several countries including Cyprus, Russia,
Croatia, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Jordan, Egypt, Azerbaijan, France, and Ukraine
sent planes, trucks and helicopter crews to help combat the fires which are
just coming under control as this is being written.
Netanyahu is now busy with his
own political
pyromania, as he and his administration try to use the fires as a
way to fuel their nationalist agenda, as they race to find guilty parties to
hold responsible. While doing so, they are willing to look past who or what
might be actually responsible and place the blame onto the usual suspects:
Palestinians,
own political
pyromania, as he and his administration try to use the fires as a
way to fuel their nationalist agenda, as they race to find guilty parties to
hold responsible. While doing so, they are willing to look past who or what
might be actually responsible and place the blame onto the usual suspects:
Palestinians,
“We must be prepared for a new
kind of terror – the terror of the arsonists,” he said, in his haste to mark the
target.
kind of terror – the terror of the arsonists,” he said, in his haste to mark the
target.
Chief of police Alsheich also has
a clear doctrine: “It is reasonable to assume that if it is arson, it was
politically motivated,” he said.
a clear doctrine: “It is reasonable to assume that if it is arson, it was
politically motivated,” he said.
Ultra-nationalistic motives and
terror, as we know, apply only to one group: Israel’s Arab and Palestinian
citizens. “They are the ones to whom the country does not belong,” according to
Israel’s education Minister Naftali Bennett, and therefore “only they could set
the fires.”
terror, as we know, apply only to one group: Israel’s Arab and Palestinian
citizens. “They are the ones to whom the country does not belong,” according to
Israel’s education Minister Naftali Bennett, and therefore “only they could set
the fires.”
Thankfully, Israeli senior police
officers were remarkably cautious about hurling similar accusations. They still
remember the campaign against Arabs over the 2010 Carmel fire, which quickly
turned out to be a baseless endeavour.
officers were remarkably cautious about hurling similar accusations. They still
remember the campaign against Arabs over the 2010 Carmel fire, which quickly
turned out to be a baseless endeavour.
They understand, perhaps, that
there is no way to prosecute the weather — the strong eastern winds and dry air
— that spreads the fires, and no reason to hastily draw targets. More
importantly, they may recognize that such irresponsible accusations could
ignite far more dangerous fire, one that no aircraft or supertanker can
extinguish, igniting the flames of national dissent and racism that are
constantly on the doorstep of Palestinian-Israeli relations. This could result
in an “arson intifada,”
as it’s being called.
there is no way to prosecute the weather — the strong eastern winds and dry air
— that spreads the fires, and no reason to hastily draw targets. More
importantly, they may recognize that such irresponsible accusations could
ignite far more dangerous fire, one that no aircraft or supertanker can
extinguish, igniting the flames of national dissent and racism that are
constantly on the doorstep of Palestinian-Israeli relations. This could result
in an “arson intifada,”
as it’s being called.
The investigation to uncover the
arsonists, if there are any, must precede with caution, rigorousness and a
responsibility to stop the political pyromania constantly being aimed in the
direction of an entire group of people by political opportunist like Netanyahu,
who use nationalism and fear as tools to achieve political agendas.
arsonists, if there are any, must precede with caution, rigorousness and a
responsibility to stop the political pyromania constantly being aimed in the
direction of an entire group of people by political opportunist like Netanyahu,
who use nationalism and fear as tools to achieve political agendas.
