Defense Ministry working to rent 6 planes to use in fighting blaze near Jerusalem

Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at  Givat Ye'arim, outside Jerusalem, August 16, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at Givat Ye'arim, outside Jerusalem, August 16, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

The Defense Ministry is working to rent six planes from a private aviation company to assist in the firefighting effort against a massive blaze outside Jerusalem, the ministry says.

“The planes are expected to go into service beginning tomorrow morning and to expand our aerial firefighting capability. At the same time, the possibility of commandeering additional civilian aircraft for firefighting missions is also being considered,” the Defense Ministry says in a statement.

The six planes that are poised to enter service tomorrow are being rented from the civilian aviation firm Chim-Nir.

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