Wildfires in Israel Force Towns Near Jerusalem to Evacuate

Middle East|Wildfires in Israel Force Towns Near Jerusalem to Evacuate

Raging wildfires forced the Israeli government to close major roads, evacuate several towns near Jerusalem and call for international assistance on Wednesday as firefighters battled some of the fiercest blazes the country has seen in years.

The fires interrupted Israel’s annual memorial day for the country’s fallen, one of the most hallowed dates on the national calendar. Television broadcasts of solemn ceremonies in military cemeteries were replaced with footage of Israelis making their way to safety on foot along a major highway.

Many planned celebrations for Israel’s Independence Day on Thursday were canceled because of the expanding fires and inclement weather, including high winds. The cause of the wildfire was not immediately clear.

Eyal Caspi, the head of Israel’s fire and rescue service, called the blaze “one of the toughest events” that he could recall. He said firefighting planes were unable to function because of difficult conditions.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement that a combination of strong wind and dryness had created a “deadly combination,” aggravating the blazes.

Israel has requested international aid to fight the wildfires, which were still spreading as of Wednesday evening. Officials had reached out to Britain, France, Greece, Italy and other countries for assistance, according to the Israeli government.

The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, offered to help in snuffing out the fires, Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Palestinian official, said in a text message. In 2021, Palestinian firefighters joined Israeli efforts to beat back a similar wildfire near Jerusalem.

Israeli officials did not respond to requests for comment as to whether they would accept the Palestinian offer.

Mr. Caspi said over the weekend — following a smaller but still intense fire near Jerusalem — that climate change was likely exacerbating the strength of Israel’s wildfires.

“This specific fire was advancing at eight meters per second. There has been nothing like it,” he said at a news conference last weekend. “When we talk about global warming, this is the reality.”