Major fire erupts near Israeli military base in East Jerusalem

Suspected arson near Ofrit base triggers investigation

JERUSALEM:

A large fire broke out late Tuesday near an Israeli military base on Mount Scopus in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israel’s Army Radio said firefighters worked to contain to it.

Authorities are investigating the suspected arson, it added.

Police in a separate statement confirmed their collaboration with firefighting teams following the outbreak of the blaze in an open area near the Ofrit base and Hebrew University.

At this stage, there is no danger to residents of the area, the military base, road users or university buildings, the police said.

Twelve fire crews are working to control a large fire that broke out near the Ofrit base on Mount Scopus. Many more teams are on their way to the scene in an attempt to prevent damage to the base and nearby facilities.

The fire broke out days after Hamas rejected Israel's post-war plan and said on June, 25  that Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi's talk about a "post-war day plan" in northern Gaza will not find a way to be implemented.

In a statement sent to Xinhua, Hamas emphasized that Hanegbi's discussion on Gaza's "post-war future" and his plan reflect the Israeli government's insistence on "a futile path."

"The post-war day plan for Hamas has been prepared in recent weeks, and we will soon see a practical expression of this step," Hanegbi said earlier in the day at a conference at the Reichman University in Herzliya.

He claimed that establishing an alternative to replace Hamas is essential for achieving long-term victory, noting that the alternative should be a government that relies on local populations who wish to live alongside Israel and gains support from moderate Arab states.