Israel Wildfire Probe: Police Confirm 3 Arrests, Contradicting Netanyahu's Claim of 18

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israeli police have arrested three suspects in connection with the massive wildfires that have swept across the country since late April.

The arrests follow an intensive investigation and come amid controversy surrounding initial claims by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had said a much larger number of suspects had been detained.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu announced on May 1, 2025, that 18 individuals had been arrested for allegedly setting the fires intentionally. He even claimed that one suspect had been caught in the act. However, Israeli police later refuted this statement, clarifying that only three individuals had been formally arrested.

Police sources reported that the suspects were detained in East Jerusalem. One, a resident of Umm Tuba, was found in possession of lighters, cotton, and other flammable materials. The second suspect, from Issawiya, is accused of inciting arson via social media.

The third, a Palestinian resident, was arrested while attempting to ignite a fire in an open area near Jerusalem, though investigators say he has no direct connection to the main wildfire incidents.

Despite the limited number of arrests, Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly described the wildfires as acts of "terrorism" orchestrated by pro-Palestinian groups.

His statements have drawn criticism from human rights activists, including Ramy Abdu, who accused the Israeli government of scapegoating Palestinians to deflect attention from its own environmental policy failures.

Hamas, while denying direct involvement, issued a separate statement calling arson a "legitimate form of resistance" in the conflict with Israel.

The fires, which have raged since the end of April, have destroyed thousands of hectares of land and forced tens of thousands of residents to evacuate. Experts point to a combination of strong winds, extreme drought, and the widespread planting of highly flammable non-native pine trees as key factors worsening the situation.

As investigations continue, the discrepancy between Netanyahu’s claims and official police findings has sparked political tension across Israel. Many are questioning whether the wildfires are truly acts of terror or simply a natural disaster worsened by human negligence.

Editor's Choice: Israel's Wildfires: What We Know So Far as Cause Remains Unknown

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