Israel's wildfire crisis reveals vulnerabilities in emergency response

Massive wildfires swept across central Israel on Wednesday, exposing the state’s inability to protect its settlements despite its advanced military capabilities. The blazes, described by officials as possibly the largest in Israel’s history, have forced thousands to flee as authorities rushed to assign blame to Palestinians without evidence.

The fires, rapidly spreading through wooded areas near Jerusalem, overwhelmed Israeli emergency services, compelling the self-proclaimed regional military power to seek international assistance from European countries to combat the flames on its own territory.

“We are amidst a very large wildfire, maybe the largest there has ever been in this country,” admitted Shmulik Friedman, Jerusalem District Fire Commander. “We are far from having control,” he conceded as the fires continued to rage unchecked.

Consistent with past behavior, Israeli officials quickly suggested “terrorism” as the cause, despite lacking any evidence. An unnamed Israeli security source claimed to The Media Line that “terrorism is suspected,” adding that several arrests had been made, following Israel’s established pattern of attributing national emergencies to Palestinian resistance.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported the detention of three Palestinians from Jerusalem, while extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who oversees the fire department, explicitly accused Palestinians and called for their execution—all without investigation. These accusations came even as Friedman stated, “We do not currently know what caused the fire; we have absolutely no clue, and we are not yet dealing with this.”

The same state that boasts about its military superiority found itself paralyzed by natural fires. Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered troops to support firefighters while declaring a national emergency. Despite deploying 120 firefighting teams and 12 aircraft, Israel was compelled to request assistance from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, and Italy—a stark contrast to its capability to launch offensive operations against Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.

Israeli affairs expert Ismail Al-Muslimani told Al Jazeera that Israel’s request for European assistance highlights its failure to manage such crises despite claims of technological superiority. Al Jazeera correspondent Elias Karam noted that while Israel possesses hundreds of aircraft capable of igniting fires in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, it lacks sufficient resources to extinguish fires within its own territory.

The fires have shut down Route 1, the main highway connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, stranding travelers who abandoned their vehicles to escape on foot. Television broadcasts intended for Memorial Day ceremonies were replaced with footage of Israelis fleeing along smoke-filled highways. At least 22 individuals have been treated for injuries, primarily smoke inhalation, with 12 requiring hospitalization. Hadassah Medical Center began evacuating non-critical patients as a precaution.

Eight settlements west of Jerusalem were evacuated, with authorities issuing evacuation orders for additional communities as the fires spread. Reports indicated that an Israeli military base was surrounded by flames, trapping soldiers inside.

The fires forced the cancellation of numerous events planned for Israel’s Independence Day celebrations. Minister Miri Regev announced that the main event scheduled for Wednesday evening in Jerusalem would not proceed due to the emergency. As darkness fell, firefighters remained far from containing the blazes, with Commander Friedman warning that expected winds reaching up to 100 kilometers per hour could further spread the fires through the Jerusalem Hills. Meanwhile, Israeli officials continued their unfounded blame game rather than focusing on the emergency at hand.