Israel's largest forest fire brought out a flurry of anti-Semitic assaults from Arab media, targeting Jews and the Jewish state's legitimacy, as well as the nation's Western allies. According to Haaretz, the Jerusalem Post, and Arab media sources, a range of commentators called for Israel's destruction and attributed the fire to divine retribution for Palestinian grievances.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh called the fire in Northern Israel a "strike from Allah," while Hizballah al-Manar news outlet cheered the mass causalities among the Israelis. Comments in the al-Manar article chided Arab governments for helping Israel and noted, "Now would be a perfect time to surprise the zionists with an attack, hit them while they are down, like they do," and "[there] should be a Bell ringing to attack the zioentity at such a moment on all fronts to eliminate it from the face of this planet." The comments also condemned Turkish help for Israel and repeated classic anti-Semitic themes like "Zionist, its [sic] time to run again."
Palestinian news outlets such as Al-Watan also contained virulent criticism of Israel and threats to the United States. Journalist Raafat Asalia declared, "In a few days Israel will reveal the true causes behind these fires which everyone hopes will burn up all of Israel." "What will Israel and its allies do with the Wrath of God upon them and the winds from God continuing to increase the fires which sweep its forests?" Egyptian blogger Abdel Hakim al Maghrabi asked in "Wrath of Allah," an editorial. "What will Israel and all its Western allies do if the Wrath of God continues upon them with earthquakes which in one second are able to destroy Israel? Indeed, destroy America in the glory of its power, so that it will be as if it never were."
A new terrorist organization, Ma'sadat al-Mujahideen, even claimed the attack on Israel. However, this is a highly unlikely scenario as a 14-year-old Israeli Druze teenager has confessed to accidentally starting the fire.
An Arab-Israeli writer for the Jerusalem Post, Khalid Abu Toameh, translated and posted numerous quotes from average commentators on Arabic news websites. "Thank Allah for this new Holocaust and shame on the Egyptian authorities who rushed to save the Zionists while continuing to lay siege against our brothers in the Gaza Strip," stated one writer. "To Hizballah, Hamas and all Arabs: This is a golden opportunity to get rid of Israel. The sea and fire are in front of the Jews and weapons are behind them."