Israel
Merz says criticism of Israel in Germany has become pretext for hatred of Jews
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday that criticism of Israel was increasingly being used in Germany as a pretext for stoking hatred against Jews.
Large swaths of northern Israel were engulfed by wild fires set off by rockets launched from Lebanon by the militant group Hezbollah, with rescue teams battling on Monday to get them under control.
Smoke billows following rocket attacks from Lebanon, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, June 4, 2024. Reuters/Ammar Awad
Large swaths of northern Israel were engulfed by wild fires set off by rockets launched from Lebanon by the militant group Hezbollah, with rescue teams battling on Monday to get them under control.
Many Israelis who live in towns near the Lebanon border evacuated months ago given the escalating fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Some houses caught fire, local media reported.
The Israeli military sent equipment and soldiers to help contain the flames, which spread quickly due to hot and dry weather, and six military reservists were lightly injured.
"The forces gained control over the locations of fire, and at this stage, no human life is at risk," the military said.
Israel's parks authority said earlier on Monday that fires had already covered hundreds of acres. The national fire service said its firefighters were operating late into the night in several spots, including in the town of Kiryat Shmona, where they were trying to protect a line of houses.
Police said they closed off roads and were telling residents still in the area to clear out.
Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Wednesday that criticism of Israel was increasingly being used in Germany as a pretext for stoking hatred against Jews.
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Wednesday that ongoing negotiations with Israel to reach a security pact could lead to results "in the coming days."
In a move hailed as “historic” by Israeli officials, Fiji officially inaugurated its embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, becoming one of the very few nations to establish a diplomatic mission in the contested city.
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