Israel has declared a national state of emergency due to devastating wildfires that have left residents in a state of panic.
According to a report by The Times of Israel, the country’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has called for the deployment of military forces to help control the fires in the Jerusalem hill region. He requested IDF Chief Herzi Halevi to immediately mobilize the army to assist in firefighting operations.
A statement from the defense minister’s office declared, “We are now in a national emergency. All available forces must be united to save lives and bring the fire under control.”
The wildfires broke out in the Eshtaol forest area in western Jerusalem on Wednesday. Several communities were evacuated, and the main highway (Route 1) from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was temporarily closed.
This is the second wildfire incident in a week affecting the hilly regions near the capital. The Fire and Rescue Service reported that fires are burning in at least five locations in the Jerusalem hills, with extreme heat and strong winds hindering control efforts.
Villages including Neve Shalom, Beit Meir, Ta’oz, and Nahshon have been evacuated. Visitors were also removed from the Latrun military memorial site, where a memorial event was canceled, as well as from a nearby monastery.
Authorities are preparing to evacuate the Mesilat Zion village. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has cleared tourists from several nearby parks.
In addition to Route 1, Routes 3, 65, 70, and 85 have also been closed. Train services between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem have