Some 40 arson attacks occurred in Samaria last month—a nearly 100% increase over the 21 recorded acts of criminal fire setting in May 2023, according to data the Samaria Regional Council published.
The Mount Kabir Nature Reserve northeast of Nablus (Shechem) has been set afire twice, with flames almost reaching a 700-year-old tree on the site.
Fire attacks were also recorded in Nahal Shiloh, Yitzhar and Itamar Heights, according to reports.
“I demand that the security establishment create deterrence and apprehend the perpetrators,” said Yossi Dagan, head of the council. “Create a situation where this is not legitimate, just like any other terrorism. The security system must treat this as a war in every respect. We need deterrence.”
Israeli authorities arrested a Palestinian man on Thursday suspected of trying to start a fire near a military post in the Binyamin region of Samaria.
On May 27, Israeli firefighters battled some 70 blazes across Judea and Samaria. Some of those fires appeared to be arson.
