- Title: Israel arrests 12 on suspicion of arson after mass wildfires
- Date: 25th November 2016
- Summary: BEIT MEIR, ISRAEL (NOVEMBER 25, 2016) (REUTERS) TRUCK DRIVING TOWARDS FIRE FIRE FIGHTERS AND TRUCK AT SCENE BURNT CONSTRUCTIONS VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS EXTINGUISHING FIRE JERUSALEM (NOVEMBER 25, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ISRAELI POLICE SPOKESPERSON, MICKY ROSENFELD, AT SCENE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAELI POLICE SPOKESPERSON, MICKY ROSENFELD, SAYING: "Over the last 72 hours, the Israeli police and firefighters have dealt with hundreds of fire that have taken place, and we have arrested 12 suspects who have been involved directly or indirectly with the fires. Our investigations are continuing and we are fully prepared for the next 24 hours ahead of us." BEIT MEIR, ISRAEL (NOVEMBER 25, 2016) (REUTERS) BURNT BICYCLE VARIOUS OF BURNT VEHICLES VARIOUS OF BURNT CONSTRUCTIONS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE NEAR FIRE VARIOUS OF FIRE
- Embargoed: 10th December 2016 09:59
- Keywords: Israel fire police Micky Rosenfeld Beit Meir Jerusalem
- Location: BEIT MEIR, ISRAEL / JERUSALEM
- City: BEIT MEIR, ISRAEL / JERUSALEM
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Environment,Weather
- Reuters ID: LVA00159XYO93
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Israeli police said on Friday (November 25) they had arrested 12 people on suspicion of arson after massive wildfires tore through central and northern Israel forcing the evacuation of some 80,000 people from Haifa and destroying hundreds of homes.
"Over the last 72 hours, the Israeli police and firefighters have dealt with hundreds of fire that have taken place, and we have arrested 12 suspects who have been involved directly or indirectly with the fires. Our investigations are continuing and we are fully prepared for the next 24 hours ahead of us," Israeli police spokesperson, Micky Rosenfeld said.
Firefighters continued to fight the flames on wooded hills around Jerusalem and in northern areas on Friday, with support from Palestinian firemen and emergency teams from Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, Russia and Turkey.
Police said they had detained a dozen people. Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan said they were "minorities", meaning either Arab Israeli citizens or Palestinians.
The fires were the largest in the country since the December 2010 bushfire in northern Israel, in which 44 people were killed. Investigators concluded at the time that that blaze was caused by negligence.
Pillars of smoke continued to billow over the city on Friday morning as firefighters worked to dowse the remaining fires. City officials said the situation was under control but that at least 700 homes had been badly damaged or destroyed.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said forces had arrested a Palestinian man caught trying to set a fire near the Israeli settlement of Kochav Yaakov, in the occupied West Bank.
Police said one man from the Bedouin village of Rahat in southern Israel had been arrested for incitement after he posted a message on his Facebook page calling on others to start fires. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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