Palestinian airborne arson attacks

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A kite launched into the fields of the Eshkol Regional Council
Helium party balloons bearing flammable materials launched from Bureij, Gaza Strip
Burned fields by arson kites near Kibbutz Be'eri

The first wave of Palestinian airborne arson attacks on Israel from Gaza Strip using airborne incendiary devices (incendiary balloons, incendiary kites, etc.) was launched in May 2018 during the 2018 Gaza border protests. These attacks are taking an advantage of the prevailing westwards winds which propel the airborne devices to Israel.[1][2] The fires that ensued annihilated distinctive habitats, ecosystems, and agricultural fields.[3][4]

History[edit]

Since the beginning of the border riots the Palestinians increased the launches of incendiary kites.[5][6][7][8] This primitive weapon is very cheap and it eluded detection by IDF surveillance and the Palestinians even managed to down with slingshots some IDF surveillance drones which were flying low to knock down the incendiary kites. By early May, hundreds of kites were sent to Israel since the beginning of the riots. Hundreds of acres of JNF forests suffered from arson. The agriculture fields suffered half million of shekels of immediate damage and were facing long-lasting consequences because it would take several years to restore the incinerated vegetation and soil.[9] On May 2 kites caused a huge fire in the Be'eri Forest destroying several hundred dunams of forest.[10]

Since May 7, 2018, the increasing use of a simpler method was reported: incendiary balloons carrying already-lit Molotov cocktail launched from the Gaza strip, in addition to the kites. The balloons have a longer range compared to kites. The Molotov cocktail causes the balloons to explode in midair, with burning material falling down. They caused fire in seven different locations, including a wheat field near Mefalsim and the Be'eri Forest.[1] Occasional launches of the balloons were reported since early April, but since May they were used on a massive scale.[11]

On May 11 IDF deployed new, small remote-controlled drones with knives on their wings to combat incendiary kites by cutting their guide lines, reportedly downing more than 40 kites in the first two days.[12] The method ultimately proved ineffective.[11]

By July 2018, incendiary kites and balloons started 678 fires in Israel, burning 910 hectares (2,260 acres) of woodland, and 610 hectares (1,500 acres) of agricultural lands.[13] Some balloons landed in residential areas of the Eshkol Regional Council[14] and the Sdot Negev Regional Council. No one was injured.[15] One balloon cluster reached Beersheba, some 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the Gaza strip.[16][17]

On July 9, 2018, in response to incendiary attacks, Israel closed the Kerem Shalom border crossing.[18] On July 16, transfer of gas and fuel was stopped via the crossing.[19]

Continued airborne arson attacks were reported in 2019,[20][21][22] 2020[23][24] (in August 2020 fuel shipments to Gaza Strip were suspended again, in response of the resumed arson attacks. This caused the shut down of the only Gaza Strip power plant.[25]), and 2021.[26] In July 2021 Israel has reduced the fishing zone off Gaza by half, from 12 nautical miles to 6, in response to incendiary balloons launched into the Eshkol Regional Council area.[27]

To combat the new form of terrorism, the only reliable method was constant monitoring and putting out the fires by hand.[11] In February 2020, the Light Blade (Lahav or), a new laser weapon system was deployed as an operational experiment to the Gaza border against kites and balloons.[28]

Motivation[edit]

A member of the Sons of Zouari group, responsible for many arson attacks, said in an interview:

"We, as Palestinians, do not recognize these fields as belonging to the enemy. These are our lands, and the fields planted on them are not theirs by right. These are our lands, and we have the right to them. We say to them: We will not let you sow our lands and enjoy them. We will burn your fields, which you harvest to pay for the bullets that you use to shoot children and peaceful unarmed demonstrators."[29]

Environmental damage[edit]

The resulting fires caused harm to wildlife, unique habitats and ecosystems.[30] While agricultural fields are likely to recover quickly, this is not so for wildlife in protected areas. In 2018 Israel Nature and Parks Authority reported that about 10sq km of conservation area was affected. Much of the flora would return within a year, but the recovery of the complete ecosystem will take much longer. Reportedly, both larger (foxes, porcupines, jackals) and smaller (rodents, snakes, insects, etc.) animals have been killed in numbers. Since the reserves adjacent to Gaza are relatively small, the relative impact of the fires is relatively large.[31][32] There are concerns about the dwindling flora diversity after the fires, and the encroachment of the invasive species into the recovering areas.[33]

Among the affected protected areas were the Be'eri Badlands Nature Reserve, Karmia Sands Nature Reserve, and Besor Stream Nature Reserve.[31][33]

Of concern is air pollution due to massive fires.[31] In addition of smoke due to arsons, tire burning during the protests have led to the release of toxic chemicals into the air. Burning forests increase the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, i.e., contribute to the greenhouse effect.[32]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Incendiary balloons from Gaza cause damage to Israeli fields Archived 7 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine, YNET, 7 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Arson Terrorism: A new method devised by Hamas during the “return marches” to attack the communities near the Gaza Strip and disrupt their daily lives", Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
  3. ^ "Beeri forest burns after Hamas incendiary balloon attack". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2019-03-11. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  4. ^ "Balloons from Gaza trigger fires in border areas". english.palinfo.com. 2018-05-08. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  5. ^ Gazans Fly Firebombs Tied to Kites Into Israel, Sparking Several Blazes, Haaretz, 16 April 2018
  6. ^ Gazans use kites to set fire to fields, forests in Israel, JNS, 17 April 2018
  7. ^ Flaming kite from Gaza sets Israeli warehouse ablaze, Times of Israel, 21 April 2018
  8. ^ Continuing kite threat puts Israeli farmers on edge, YNET, 24 April 2018
  9. ^ "Gaza border rioters take down 2 IDF drones on sixth week of protest". Ynetnews. May 4, 2018 – via www.ynetnews.com.
  10. ^ Tzuri, Matan (May 2, 2018). "Incendiary kite from Gaza causes massive fire in Be'eri Forest". Ynetnews – via www.ynetnews.com.
  11. ^ a b c Beyond kites: ‘Fire balloons’ increasingly used to set southern Israel ablaze, Times of Israel, 4 June 2018
  12. ^ As Gaza protests continue, IDF employs new tactics to combat riots Archived 13 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine, The Jerusalem Post, 12 May 2018.
  13. ^ Tzuri, Matan (10 July 2018). "Kite, balloon terrorism continues scorching Israel's land". Ynet. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  14. ^ "'Suspicious' Gaza balloon lands on grounds of empty school". The Times of Israel. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  15. ^ "Flaming balloon from Gaza lands in preschool near children at play". The Times of Israel. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  16. ^ Police investigate if ‘suspicious balloon’ in Beersheba came from Gaza, Times of Israel 31 January 2018
  17. ^ In first, incendiary balloon lands in Be'er Sheva, YNET, Ilana Curiel and Matan Tzuri, 30 July 2018
  18. ^ בתגובה להתמשכות טרור ההצתות: מעבר כרם שלום נסגר ("In response to the continuing terror of the arson: the Kerem Shalom crossing was closed")
  19. ^ בתגובה להצתות: ישראל סוגרת את כרם שלום גם למעבר גז ודלק ("In response to arson: Israel also closes Kerem Shalom for gas and fuel"), Walla!, July 16, 2018
  20. ^ Tsuri, Matan; Zituna, Yoav (27 June 2019). "Dozens of fires are daily nightmare for frustrated Israelis along Gaza border". Ynetnews. Retrieved 16 November 2020. More than 100 fires were reported in June 2019 alone, with reported damage to at least 4,500 acres of farmland.
  21. ^ Gross, Judah Ari. "Beyond kites: 'Fire balloons' increasingly used to set southern Israel ablaze". Times of Israel. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  22. ^ Gross, Judah Ari. "Gaza incendiary balloons spark dozens of fires in southern Israel". Times of Israel. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  23. ^ "Hamas' Wave of Environmental Terrorism", September 9, 2020, IDF
  24. ^ "i24NEWS". www.i24news.tv.
  25. ^ "Gaza’s lone power plant shuts down amid tensions with Israel", Al Jazeera, August 18, 2020
  26. ^ "Incendiary balloons from Gaza spark fires in south ahead of Jerusalem flag march". The times of Israel. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  27. ^ "Israel halves Gaza fishing zone over incendiary balloon fires", Al Jazeera, July 25, 2021.
  28. ^ Julian, Hana Levi (11 August 2020). "Israel Deploys 'Light Saber' Anti-Balloon Laser to Shoot Down Threats from Gaza".
  29. ^ "Activists Use "Firebomb Kites" to Set Fire to Israeli Fields and Houses: Hundreds of Kites Will Be Flown toward the Enemies - Scenes from Gaza "Return March" (transcript)". MEMRI. Retrieved 2018-10-15. (Activists Use "Firebomb Kites" to Set Fire to Israeli Fields and Houses: Hundreds of Kites Will Be Flown toward the Enemies - Scenes from Gaza "Return March", video clip)
  30. ^ Burning kites from Gaza damage Israeli farms, wildlife, Associated Press, June 20, 2018
  31. ^ a b c Doug Weir, "Israeli protected areas seem doomed to be the latest environmental victim of the ongoing conflict", Conflict and Environment Observatory, July 11, 2018
  32. ^ a b "Ecological terrorism at the Gaza border creates shadows on Israel's landscape". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 17 July 2018.
  33. ^ a b "Swathes of Land in Israel’s South Sustained Extensive Damage Due to Gaza Rocket Fire, Arson Balloons – Haarertz", July 6, 2021a repost from the paywalled Jun 22, 2021 article by Ha'aretz

External links[edit]

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