Forest fire (illustrative)
Forest fire (illustrative)Israel news photo: Flash 90

Police say that they believe Palestinian arsonists were behind three separate forest fires near Jerusalem this past week. The fires destroyed over a thousand dunams (one square kilometer).

According to Ynet, authorities found several used Molotov cocktails near where today's (Saturday) fire began. Eyewitnesses also reported seeing people throwing incendiary devices in the area. The location is near the Arab village of Bidu.

Similar fires broke out on Sunday and Thursday. Today's fire alone required seventeen teams of firefighters and four planes to put out.

Police have not yet made any arrests in connection with the fires.