Amid the tragic destruction and displacement caused by wildfires that have blazed through the Jerusalem Hills since Aug. 15, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a memorable photo on Facebook
The caption reads: “Israeli & Palestinian firefighters take a lunch break together while battling wildfires near Jerusalem. Thank you to the Palestinian Authority for the cooperation.”
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz took to Twitter to express his thanks to the Palestinian Authority for assisting Israeli firefighters on Tuesday.
“Mutual care and saving human lives are common interests to us all,” Gantz tweeted in Arabic, Hebrew and English.
By nightfall on Tuesday, National Fire and Rescue Chief Dedi Simchi announced that the fires in the western suburbs of Jerusalem had been “fully contained” after a 52-hour effort. In all, hundreds of residents were evacuated, and some 6,200 acres of woodlands were burned.
No injuries were reported.
Rocket fire from Palestinians in Gaza hit several places in Israel in May. The attack followed tensions over Israeli policing of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the planned evictions of Palestinians from the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah in occupied East Jerusalem. Militant terrorist group Hamas fired long-range rockets toward Jerusalem and other cities.
Israel responded by launching airstrikes on Gaza, and after 11 days of bombardment, a ceasefire was announced May 21.
Israelis, Palestinians Jointly Fight Forest Fires Near Jerusalem appeared first on Israel21C.
Edited by Judith Isacoff and Bryan Wilkes
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