Netanyahu opposes probe into wildfire

Tue Dec 7, 2010

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has opposed an inquiry into the handling of a massive bushfire that blazed through the northern forests, killing 42 people.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Netanyahu ruled out setting up an inquiry panel to investigate poor preparedness for the wildfire in the Carmel forests near the northern city of Haifa, the Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported on its website.

Netanyahu insisted a report by Tel Aviv's comptroller on the state of the fire service and findings by other committees that had monitored the issue over the years would suffice.

"We don't need more conclusions, we need implementation," the Israeli premier said.

In a letter to Netanyahu, Minister for Minority Affairs Avishay Braverman drew an analogy between the significance of decision-making on civilian issues and that of deciding on military issues during the war against Lebanon, calling for a "fearless and unobstructed investigation."

Improvement of Government Services Minister Michael Eitan also called for an exhaustive investigation of the circumstances of the blaze. He was joined by Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog and Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat, who have also voiced support for setting up a state commission of inquiry.

On Monday, Netanyahu said he was determined to make changes rather than deal with recriminations, but did not fall short of accusing his previous predecessors of neglecting the fire service.

Sources in the comptroller's office have said the findings in his report on the Carmel fire, which is due to be released on Wednesday, will be grave.

Meanwhile, a 14-year-old boy has admitted to having caused the conflagration by throwing a coal from a water pipe onto open ground where the fire began and quickly spread. He told investigators that he was frightened by the flames and ran off without telling anyone about the rapidly growing inferno.

The fire that broke out about midday (1000 GMT) on December 2 and ravaged the forest for three days, engulfed a bus near Haifa as it was carrying at least 40 guards from a nearby prison.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/154307.html.