Carmel Fire “Act of Negligence”, Obama Vows Assistance “Top US Priority”

A police spokesman said that the joint investigation team has determined that the first and largest fire, in the Carmel, was not a case of arson but was started by an act of negligence by a local family. Police said they are currently busy investigating, but know what the incident was. Police said they were close to identifying the family. Israeli Channel 10 reported that it was suspected that the fire started from a nargilla water-pipe. On Friday, Police Insp.-Gen. David Cohen that two arson suspects arrested earlier in the day are not linked to the main fire on the Carmel Mountain. Cohen said that investigators have determined that the large fire, which is raging in the Carmel, spread from a single ignition point. He added that the cause of the fire would be determined by Saturday. Police have said that additional fires in Kiryat Bialik and Tivon were both caused by arson. Firefighting aircraft from countries across the world took to the occupied Palestinian skies Saturday morning, in a renewed attempt to contain the Carmel wildfire, which continued to blaze unabated. Two huge Russian planes capable of holding up to 42,000 liters of water arrived in Israel and were already in the air on Saturday morning - together with six other international aircraft from France, Turkey, Greece and Cyprus, Israeli fire services said. "The international support that we are receiving, that is impressive, could help us to extinguish the fire Saturday night", Yoram Levy, spokesman of the Israeli fire services said. Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld added that changes in the wind, temperatures and other factors could extend the works to bring the fire under control between 24 and 48 hours. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon assured Friday night Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the UN would do everything possible to mobilize further assistance to stop the "terrible tragedy". Ban stressed that he was "inspired by the generous international assistance rendered to the State of Israel within hours of the beginning of the fire, especially from your neighbors in the region." "I am deeply saddened by the loss of life, suffering, human displacement and damage to nature caused by the ongoing fire on Mount Carmel in northern Israel," Ban wrote, adding "this is a terrible tragedy. I would like to convey my deepest sympathy and extend my condolences to the bereaved families." US President Barack Obama discussed Friday the deadly fire with Netanyahu during a telephone call from Air Force One, after his brief visit to Afghanistan. The U.S. president ensured Netanyahu that sending Israel the necessary assistance to combat the flames was a “top U.S. priority”. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also paid tribute to nations which had provided Israel with resources to battle the blaze. "We are moving as quickly as we can to provide this assistance, and are heartened by similar efforts to contribute resources from Israel’s other friends around the world,” Clinton said. “My hope is that the fires are extinguished soon. The hearts of the people of the United States go out to the people of Israel, and we stand with them at this difficult time.”