Wildfires near the northern Israeli city of Haifa has forced at least 50 thousand people to evacuate their homes. According to local media, some Israeli leaders believe Palestinian extremists intentionally started the fires.

Arab lawmakers have reacted angrily to the allegations, and spoken out in defense of the country's Arab minority. Hundreds of homes have been damaged or destroyed by the fires and around one-hundred people have been hospitalized for smoke inhalation. There have been no reported deaths. Firefighters are working around the clock to extinguish the flames.