It’s as if 17 years have not passed: I recall clearly the day when I first drove up Israel’s Route 1 from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem past fragrant forests of pine, almond and olive. It was not just the excitement of a new mission that quickened the pulse: perhaps stronger was the thrill of finally putting foot in Jerusalem, the ancient city whose name echoes down the hallowed halls of history.
Sadly, the same Route 1 had to be shut down last week because the forests on those time-worn, biblical hills were burning. As the swirling wildfires, emboldened by unusually hot and dry conditions and backed by strong winds, raced towards the ancient city, communities were evacuated, a national emergency declared and independence day celebrations cancelled, no easy move when Israeli nationalism is at its peak. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that his priority lay in “defending Jerusalem” from the flames. Inevitably, there were accusations of politically motivated arson and some preliminary arrests were made but according to Israel’s Haaretz, no indictment has been filed so far. Meanwhile, a staggering 3,200 acres of valuable forest went up in flames.
But this goes beyond conflicting political narratives, at least in two aspects.
Imaging: Deni Lal
First, what was under threat was all of Jerusalem—both east and west, the old and the new. In the worst-case scenario, the wildfires could have destroyed the crossroads of three major faiths, the ineluctable lodestone that has drawn prophets and pilgrims, crusaders and qadis through the centuries. The flames would not have distinguished between the ancient lanes of the Muslim quarter and those of the Christian, Armenian or Jewish quarters; they would have simply gone with the wind. They could have swept over the hill from where the Messiah left and rushed through the gate from where he would enter again. The site of Solomon’s Temple, the remaining Western Wall, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Holy Sepulchre church were all equally under threat. The wildfires should serve to remind us, and this is not Israel-specific: human history, heritage, experience are shared treasures; an unfortunate event, one dark moment, a megalomaniacal rush of blood or nature’s revenge can impoverish us all.
The second truth is that climate change is truly upon us and not just a looming threat. The wildfires around Jerusalem, or, for that matter, in California—natural or man-made—are exacerbated by the extreme heat and crackling dryness. These conditions prolong the wildfires; the massive emissions from the fires further warm the atmosphere, creating a dangerous, self-reinforcing circle. Intense heatwaves, caused primarily by burning of fossil fuels, are occurring across much of the world. Once a rarity, they are now persistent signals that demand urgent climate action, including fundamental transformations in lifestyle, infrastructural development and energy patterns.
But more than one government is in suicidal denial; warnings are routinely ignored, vital resources diverted and authorities left ill-equipped and ill-prepared. The Trump administration is leading the charge into the abyss. In its first 100 days it has launched a fusillade of 145 actions—more than in the entire Trump 1.0—to roll back environmental regulations and further accelerate fossil fuel production and use. Green policies are in retreat, pollution standards are in freefall, the Arctic ice will soon be drilled for oil and gas, ocean sanctuaries will be ravaged by commercial shipping, national forests will become furniture. Climate change concerns are seen as wimpish and woke: real men don’t think green; rather, they dig and drill, build and consume. So let the fires burn while the brothers of Nero fiddle, and let the summers arrive in spring.
The writer is former ambassador to Israel and to the US.