Israel Weekly News Roundup - May 2, 2025
5 Things you need to know
Israel at War - Day 573
1. Wildfires Burned Thousands of Acres Near Jerusalem, Causing Evacuation of Thousands and Closure of the Main Highway to Jerusalem for Hours
Wildfires burned thousands of acres of natural forests and woods on the hills around Jerusalem. The fires started in extreme weather conditions, with high temperatures and very dry air, and after weeks of no rain, the forests were very dry and easily ignited.
The flames extended rapidly and threatened cars on the highway to Jerusalem. Most of the travelers had to leave their cars in the middle of the road and fled running away from the fires on foot, some were carrying small children. The rescue forces had to evacuate many towns and villages and communities in the area, thousands of people had to leave their homes immediately. Even TV studios who usually broadcast from this area had to find alternative solutions elsewhere.
Israeli firefighters were not prepared for such wildfires, it was found that there was a stated decision not to buy special equipment like helicopters and supertankers to be able to fight such rapidly growing fires. The government and decision-makers did not respond to any of the warnings and ignored all the reports evaluating Israel's ability to handle such wildfires. It took more than 24 hours until the firefighters were able to bring the fire under control. Many resources were needed to evacuate the highway from the hundreds of cars that were left behind and clear the road.
Israel declared a national emergency.
Israeli foreign minister tried to get help from Mediterranean countries and requested support with firefighting means like supertanker - but both Greece and Cyprus could not help, since they are facing the same weather conditions.
It is still unknown if the fires were acts of arson or a result of extreme weather conditions. Many in Israel have already decided to accuse the Palestinians of arson, but until Thursday night there was no definite conclusion as to the causes of the fires. There were many events in the past when Palestinians decided to use arson as an act of terror. Experts claim that this is part of global warming that Israel has ignored for years and has not invested all needed measures and resources to deal with the growing problem.
2. Memorial Day for 25,420 Soldiers Who Fell in Combat, Independence Day Followed
Memorial Day in Israel has a traditional protocol, with state organized memorial ceremonies in military cemeteries, to pay tribute to all the soldiers who gave their lives to the state. This day is emotionally loaded every year, but in the last two years it has had an extra emphasis with the addition of hundreds of soldiers who fell in combat due to the intensive war in Gaza, the violent conflict with Hizbollah in Lebanon, and the invasion of areas in Syria. In addition, there is intensive national polarization, political disputes, many times hate and sometimes even violence.
One of the annual events that draws a lot of negative attention from right wing supporters in Israel is the Israeli-Palestinian memorial event, led by the Forum of the Israeli-Palestinian Bereaved Families and Combatants for Peace. This alternative memorial ceremony started 20 years ago, and it represents the fact that on both sides families are in pain from losing their loved ones to an endless violent conflict. At the ceremony they call for the leaders on both sides to end the wars and reach an agreement.
In the last few years the resentment against the ceremony grew, with intensive incitement and sometimes physical attacks on participants and the crowd, attacking them for making an equivalence between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians who are considered to all be villains and terrorists. In addition, due to the war in Gaza, the Palestinian members of the Family Forum and the Combatants could no longer cross into Israel and participate in the event. Therefore the organizers decided to have two separate events, one in the West Bank and one in Israel. To safeguard the event, it is held at a secret venue but digitally broadcast. There are tens of venues in the country that screen the ceremony. One of the screenings was in a reform synagogue in Ra’anana, a town north of Tel Aviv. Hundreds of right-wing supporters were encouraged to come and they violently attacked the place and the people. The police could not control the violence and it looked like a pogrom in a reform synagogue. It took hours to free all the people trapped in the synagogue by the mob. On Wednesday morning hundreds of thousands of Israelis participated in ceremonies all over the country.
Independence Day, the 77th of Israel, went as scheduled. But due to the wildfires and extreme weather conditions, especially stormy winds, all events to celebrate independence were canceled. Some of the events were followed by the protests of many who oppose the policies of the current right-wing government.
3. Israel Declines to Send a Senior Representative to the Pope’s Funeral
Israel decided that only its’ ambassador to the Vatican would be the official Israeli state representative for Pope Francis’s funeral last Saturday in Rome. 140 countries sent presidents, prime ministers and other heads of states, but Israel declined to send a senior government representative.
Earlier, right after the Pope passed away, Israels foreign ministry published a condolence message on its formal social media accounts, but that was deleted soon after. Israel decided to come to terms with the late Pope who earlier this year said something about innocent people in Gaza who are killed en masse. It did not help that right after the October 7th attack the Pope expressed support for Israel and then had a very warm meeting with released Israeli hostages and bereaved families from the massacre. This policy was strongly criticized by many in Israel, including the opposition. The funeral in Rome was a rare opportunity for Israel to mingle with world leaders, including President Trump who is strongly supportive of Israel, and mingle with the international community at a time when international support is most needed for a country that is the target of so much criticism.
4. Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar Announces His Resignation
Earlier this week – following several weeks of legal and public disputes - Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar announced that he will step down on June 15. In his statement, Bar also called for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry that would investigate the failures that led to Hamas' assault on October 7, 2023.
The statement came a day after PM Netanyahu submitted his affidavit to the High Court of Justice, intended to refute the claims made in the affidavit submitted by Bar the week before. However, legal experts commented that Netanyahu’s affidavit was unsubstantiated in part or relied on partial and distorted quotes from meeting minutes. Both affidavits were submitted in the context of a petition to the High Court of Justice against Bar’s dismissal by the government. However, following Bar's announcement, the government cancelled its decision to dismiss him. Senior government sources said that Netanyahu is expected to name the new Shin Bet director in the coming days.
Following Bar’s resignation and the reversal of the government’s decision to fire him, the high court of justice must now decide whether to dismiss the petitions against Bar’s dismissal or to issue a ruling on the administrative and constitutional questions raised by the petitions. In his statement, Bar said that the petitions go beyond his personal case and concern principal issues such as the independence of future Shin Bet directors.
Politicians from the center-left commended Bar for his leadership and for assuming responsibility for his part in the failures that led to the October 7th attack. Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) said: “this is what taking responsibility looks like… Of those responsible for the greatest failure in the history of the country, only one remains, clinging to his chair." Yair Golan, head of The Democrats party, wrote on X: "Thank you, Ronen. Netanyahu, now it's your turn."
5. Haredi Groups Protested and Attacked Young Haredi Men Who Joined the Army
Tens of 18-year-old Haredi men, who were on their way to join the army, were brutally attacked by other Haredi activists who tried to stop them from joining the army at the draft base, Bakum, near Tel Aviv. There is a long-running and old dispute between the state law that is binding on all 18-year-old men and women to be conscripted to the army and the political and rabbinical leadership of the Haredi communities.
At the establishment of the State of Israel, back in 1948, the founding father David Ben-Gurion promised the chief Haredi Rabbis to exempt a small number of Haredi Yeshiva boys from the draft. At the time 400 men were exempted. Over the years this number has grown substantially together with the Haredi population. No government could find an equitable solution acceptable to both the public and the Haredi leadership. The Supreme Court has already ordered the government to introduce legislation that will solve the inequality whereby thousands of Haredi boys don’t have to serve in the IDF. The extended war in Gaza galvanized the dire need to have more soldiers to meet the military needs of the state. The Rabbis stood their ground strongly resisting the draft, calling on their disciples not to comply. The army's human resources division promised the Supreme Court that it would be able to draf all eighteen years old among the Haredi sector. The army also promised to establish special units that will enable the young Haredi men to continue keeping their faith while serving in the army. Despite receiving draft notices, very few Haredi men reported to the draft base for their induction. Earlier this week a few dozens came, but they faced vociferous opposition from within the Haredi community with strong protests and violent clashes. An solution that will not threaten the stability of the coalition, and will not push the Haredi parties out of the coalition, has not as yet been found or proposed.
