Israel Declares Emergency Over Fire Blazing Near Jerusalem
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Israel deployed the army and asked for international assistance tackling a large wildfire near Jerusalem, which has led to the shutdown of the main highway connecting the capital and the country’s economic and technological center Tel Aviv.
The government announced all events for Independence Day — which Israel celebrates on Thursday — were canceled to free up emergency personnel across the country. Defense Minister Israel Katz called the blaze, centered in villages southwest of Jerusalem, a “national emergency.”