JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said 18 individuals have been arrested on suspicion of arson in connection with the wildfires raging outside Jerusalem, according to a report by the Times of Israel.
Speaking at the annual Bible Contest in the capital, Netanyahu said one suspect was caught in the act of setting the fires.
The Fire and Rescue Services has so far said that the cause of the massive fires is not yet clear.
“This is not a simple matter – there is damage to nature and people,” he said.
“We are holding 18 people at the moment who are suspected of arson, one of whom was caught in the act,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu expressed confidence in efforts to contain the blazes.
“We are doing everything we can to extinguish the fires and rehabilitate what was destroyed,” he said. (AZERTAC)
