More Haredim Arrested For Setting Massive Israel Forest Fire

Jerusalem Police on Monday announced they had detained an additional four suspects in connection with Sunday’s massive forest fire near Hadassah-University Hospital which claimed more than 1,000 dunams (250 acres) of forest land, damaged some 23 vehicles in Hadassah's parking lot, and threatened the hospital itself.

More teens and yeshiva head questioned about J'lem fire
Police suspect ‘negligence’ in start of blaze which claimed more than 1,000 dunams.
By ABE SELIG • Jerusalem Post
 
Jerusalem Police on Monday announced they had detained an additional four suspects in connection with Sunday’s massive forest fire near Hadassah-University Hospital, Ein Kerem, which claimed more than 1,000 dunams (250 acres) of forest land and damaged some 23 vehicles in a nearby parking lot.

Among those arrested on Monday were three 15-year-olds from a group of yeshiva students that had been hiking in the area. On Sunday police had detained several other members of the group.

A police spokesman added that the yeshiva head had also been questioned on Monday. By early evening, all of those who had been in custody were released on bail, the spokesman said.

The yeshiva students were questioned over their possible role in starting the fire by “negligence,” although police offered few additional details.

Sunday’s fire, which started around 1:30 p.m. and quickly spread out of control, scorched an entire patch of the Aminadav Forest between the Hadassah campus and the nearby communities of Ora, Even Sapir and Aminadav.

According to a spokeswoman from the Jewish National Fund, a second fire was ignited in the same area around 3:30 p.m., hampering firefighters’ efforts to quash the blaze.

As the flames drew closer to the hillside communities, sections of Ora and Aminadav were evacuated with the help of police, as scores of firefighters from both area localities and the JNF battled the blaze.

Across the valley, the flames drew dangerously close to the hospital, prompting authorities to weigh a potential evacuation, though this proved unnecessary.

With the help of two airborne firefighting units, which doused the flames from above, the fire spreading toward the hospital was brought under control at about 4 p.m.

It would be another two hours before the flames approaching Ora and Aminadav were similarly subdued, but by 6 p.m., firefighters had begun to contain the blaze, and area residents were allowed to begin returning home.

On Sunday night, police announced that an initial investigation had pointed to the group of yeshiva students, who police said had started the fire through “negligence” and then left the scene after the flames spread out of control.

It remained unclear on Monday evening if those who had been detained for questioning would be charged, and if so, what they were to be charged with.

Related Post: Haredi Hikers Allegedly Cause Massive Jerusalem Forest Fire.

Comments

[David]

I wonder if they are deliberately trying to destroy the forests because they are a "Zionist" creation? Of course, Charedim would much rather see mounds of garbage than beautiful forests.

[bubiii]

theese students are so naive and indifferent they left the fire instead of reporting it unbeleivable they learn so much torah that they cant see the real world they lack the basic care of nature all their torah learning is for naught meaningless and they hold themself to a highter standard i dont know what they mean by that this kind of torah leaning is antisocial and self destructive i suugest they wake up and learn more about the world they live in instead of shutting themselfs out of it

[effie]

They won't get punished and they will never have to pay for the damage they caused. If a court did treat them like other citizens, they would riot and set more fires.

[David]

all their torah learning is for naught meaningless

This is the essence of the problem. They are not learning Torah. They are spending all their time learning something (and not working), but Torah, it is not.

[Dr. Dave]

Maybe the morons will understand this:

Du un mernisht Du kenen farhitn vald fayers.

You, and only You can prevent forest fires.

[Шнеерсон was мошенничество]

Simple solution: put all haredis under arab control.

[Adam Neira]

Little brats ! Where are their Rabbis in this equation ? Arson is a very serious crime.

[harold]

Little brats ! Where are their Rabbis in this equation ? Arson is a very serious crime.

No where does it say "arson", what it does say is "negligence" - BIG difference.

I would suspect arson but only if I found a garbage bin nearby :)

[Menachem Mendel lll]

BP oil disaster is enormous.

This crime against humanity and every innocent living creature is huge as well when one takes into account the size of Israel.

One of those trees were mine.
I paid for it when I was a child bt saving up money and collecting stamps during Tu Beshvat.

Me they rot in jail.

Please tell me where they are buried so I can piss on their graves.

[Radical Feminist]

They need an education, and an education in respecting what G-d has created. The wanton destruction of trees is a major averah. Simple solution, put these brats in a community service program that teaches them about Israeli forestry and tree planting and the mitva of caring for the earth. They wont be the same afterward. Our forestry programs are the best in the world, and learning about nature and the natural world is the best thing that could happen to a Haredi kid. They are only 15 they can change.

[harold]

Simple solution, put these brats in a community service program that teaches them about Israeli forestry and tree planting and the mitva of caring for the earth. They wont be the same afterward

and after that have them spend the summer replanting all the trees that they destroyed.