West Bank Settlers Launch Emergency Firefighting Effort Amid Wave of Arson Attacks

In recent weeks, dozens of fires have been deliberately set across grazing lands and agricultural fields in the West Bank hills and farms, forcing local residents to fight the flames manually. These arson attacks, attributed to Arab militants from nearby villages, involve attackers infiltrating the area on foot or by vehicle, throwing Molotov cocktails or burning rags, then fleeing. Strong winds rapidly transform these ignitions into large-scale wildfires.

The fires have destroyed thousands of dunams of land and caused significant agricultural damage. Due to the open terrain, fire trucks cannot effectively combat the blazes, leaving residents to rely on handheld firefighting tools. Eitan Rabinovitch, coordinator of the volunteer firefighting network in the Binyamin region, described how dozens of volunteers use motorized blowers to push back flames and beaters to extinguish them.

Rabinovitch emphasized the urgent need for additional firefighting equipment, as many volunteers arrive without gear and are unable to contain the fires effectively. In response, a wide volunteer network has been established across the West Bank, mobilizing dozens of residents within minutes of each fire outbreak. However, the effort lacks government funding, prompting an emergency fundraising campaign to purchase necessary firefighting tools.

Rabinovitch framed the campaign as a battle to maintain Jewish control over the land, stating, "Every resident here becomes a firefighter in this fight against arson terrorism." The campaign appeals to the public to contribute, warning that success depends on community support to counter the ongoing attacks aimed at damaging settlement areas.

No arrests have been reported so far in connection with the arson incidents.