Israel evacuates 80000 from Haifa as fires rage

The fires, which began Tuesday, have erupted throughout the country, blazing through parched forests, incinerating scores of homes and forcing tens of thousands of people to flee.

While there were no serious injuries, several dozen people were hospitalised for smoke inhalation.

The man had criticised Palestinians who celebrate the fires, but a judge said that he should have taken into account the possibility that the post’s satirical tone would be misunderstood as incitement before publishing it.

Israeli’s police chief Roni Alsheich told reporters that arsonists were suspected of setting some of the fires and that arrests had been made, without elaborating. Other small fires were under control, he added.

On Wednesday, a fire in the community of Nataf in the Jerusalem Hills damaged property. Netanyahu said he had spoken to officials in several countries and had found “a great interest” in the idea.

In connection with a fire near Jerusalem, four Palestinians have been arrested and are due to appear in court, officials said.

Five countries, including Russian Federation and Turkey, sent firefighting planes to assist Israel in tackling the fires, which officials said may have been started intentionally.

Palestinian firefighters work in Haifa, Israel, Friday, Nov. 25, 2016.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of a far-right party, said on Thursday the fires could not have been started by Jews and on Friday blamed them on “nationalist terrorists”, a reference in Israel to Palestinians.

Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that anyone who may have started fires deliberately would be punished. “There are elements of terror here, of that there is no doubt”.

While many hotspots have been contained, new conflagrations spread throughout north and central Israel and parts of the occupied West Bank for a fifth straight day.

Israeli media reported that the largest firefighting plane, the Supertanker, was on its way from the United States and is expected to land in Israel on Friday evening.

Firefighters have brought a blaze under control around the northern city of Haifa, where about 80,000 people were ordered to evacuate.

Twelve countries sent planes and firefighters to assist in putting out the fires.

With the world’s largest firefighting plane due to arrive on Friday – a U.S. 747 capable of carrying over 70 tonnes of water or retardant – the focus moved to other areas, including a new fire outside Jerusalem that forced further evacuations.

Firefighting aircraft from Russia, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Croatia and Cyprus were sent to help with the spreading fires.

Palestinian firefighting crews were despatched from the West Bank to help efforts in Haifa.

With the imminent danger subsiding, attention shifted toward the source of the massive fires.

Police have not disclosed the identities of the suspects arrested so far. Several ministers and lawmakers have already spoken up, alleging that the blazes were an act of terrorism.