Jerusalem wildfire disrupts cabinet meeting; hospital, residents evacuated

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Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is holding emergency consultations on the massive wildfire that is raging in the Jerusalem area, which authorities are struggling to contain.

Bennett abruptly ended a national security cabinet meeting to hold the consultations, as the conflagration spread near the Judean Hills.

The fire near Jerusalem, on SundayIsrael Police

Residents were evacuated from Ramat Raziel before buildings in the community went up in flames. Beit Meir and Giv’at Ye’arim were also vacated as the blaze raged, as was a nearby mental health facility. The Magen David Adom rescue service has thus far treated three people who suffered light smoke inhalation.

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Twelve firefighter planes are working to extinguish and manage the blaze, which is quickly spreading due to strong winds, and fire crews from nearby districts have been called to the scene to assist local firefighters.

The blaze is now concentrated around the communities of Beit Meir and Ramat Raziel. About 170 families have left the latter community of their own accord, but are having difficulty reaching Jerusalem because of roadblocks placed due to the fires.

Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai requested that the military aid the police evacuate residents of the area via helicopter; the IDF announced that they have sent helicopters, firefighters and Home Front Command soldiers to aid in evacuation efforts.

Boaz Leviatan, a residence of Ramat Raziel, criticized the authorities’ response to the situation. “I called the police three times, but planes only started getting here a half an hour after the fire arrived,” he told Haaretz. By that point, the community was already on fire, “but there were no police officers or firefighters in the area.”

After that, Leviatan convinced his neighbors to leave the community, even though there was no official police directive to do so. Police instructions came much later, he said. “The police had closed some of the roads in the community and didn’t let people pass, and they were trapped inside,” he said. The police said that they would investigate the residents’ claims.

Bennett is expected to convene a press conference as well as another meeting on the situation alongside ministers and emergency response officials later on Sunday.

Josh Breiner and the Associated Press contributed to this report.