Israeli soldiers detonate explosives in West Bank, Palestinian fields burn, six hospitalized

Ma’an -- A fire broke out in the northern West Bank on Sunday after Israeli soldiers detonated explosive charges in the area, a Palestinian Authority official said.

Ghasan Doughlas, who monitors settlements in the area, said the fire burned fields near the Zawata village west of Nablus "after soldiers ignited an explosive charge near the scene."

He said the Israeli army barred firefighters from reaching the area until after carrying out standard coordination so "it took firefighting crews three hours to put out the fire."

Reports said the charges came in contact with dry grass, which caused the blaze.

Across the Green Line, meanwhile, three fire-fighting teams from Tiberias and a firefighting aircraft managed to extinguish a blaze after several hours, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

Two fires broke out on the eastern shore of the lake, at Dugit Beach and at the Dodot Bridge, near the Jordan River. Both were put out by Upper Galilee and Golan Heights firefighting teams.

Later Sunday in Jerusalem, firefighters brought a forest fire under control after the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum was evacuated as a precaution, a police spokesman said.

"The fire has been brought totally under control but the fire service is continuing to work on the ground to make sure it doesn't restart," Micky Rosenfeld said.

The blaze had started at three different points, "which could mean it was deliberate," he said, adding that police and the fire service were investigating the cause.

Six people were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.