JERUSALEM (JTA) — Arson is suspected in several Jerusalem-area forest fires that have destroyed nearly 250 acres of trees.
Israeli firefighters on Saturday battled blazes in the forests of kibbutz Maale HaHamisha near Jerusalem that are believed to have been started by Molotov cocktail firebombs hurled from a nearby Palestinian village. Israel Police have launched an investigation.
Seventeen teams of firefighters, along with four firefighting aircraft, put out the blazes.
The fires follow a blaze on Thursday at the kibbutz and on Friday afternoon into Saturday morning in the woods near Kibbutz Tzora. In both cases, fragments of firebombs were found where the fires were believed to have been started.
No injuries were reported in any of the fires.
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