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Netanyahu says 18 arrested over arson, police deny claim

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said 18 people had been detained on suspicion of arson in connection with wildfires that have swept through parts of the country, according to Israel’s Arutz Sheva media outlet.

But a police source, quoted by Israeli Army Radio, denied the claim, saying: “We have not arrested 18 people on suspicion of setting fires in Jerusalem.”

A firefighter works near Latrun, a day after wildfires broke out due to extreme heat and winds, in central Israel, May 1, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad
A firefighter works near Latrun, a day after wildfires broke out due to extreme heat and winds, in central Israel, 1 May, 2025. (REUTERS/Ammar Awad)