Herzog says fires are part of ‘climate crisis’ that must be addressed

President Isaac Herzog says that the ongoing fires outside Jerusalem are part of a larger climate issue that Israel must deal with.

“This fire is part of the climate crisis, which must not be ignored,” he says during an Independence Day ceremony at his residence. “It requires us to prepare for serious and significant challenges and to make decisions – including appropriate legislation.”

Herzog thanks the firefighters who have been “risking their lives for almost a full day now to save lives and contain the great fire.”

The president stresses that despite the celebrations, “we cannot celebrate independence with a whole heart when our brothers and sisters [who are held hostage in Gaza] are not with us. Israel as a nation longs for them, for their freedom.”

Herzog says that “even in times of deep disagreements, our courage and our unity are intertwined, dependent on one another. One thing is clear: Even when we have differences of opinion, we must keep the IDF — which belongs to all of us — above and outside all political disputes.”