Israel's opposition leader Livni calls for resignation of PM Netanyahu after Carmel fire

Israel's opposition leader Livni calls for resignation of PM Netanyahu after Carmel fire

2010-12-09 05:53:07 GMT+7 (ICT)

JERUSALEM (BNO NEWS) -- Israel's opposition leader Tzipi Livni on Wednesday called for the resignation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the "failure of the Israeli fire services" during the Carmel fire disaster.

Livni called on Netanyahu to take responsibility for the worst Wildfire in Israel's history and resign. Netanyahu said that local officials were incapable of managing fire service and could have only be controlled with an aerial firefighting unit.

"In a functioning state, as Israel should be, the comptroller’s report would be enough for those responsible to pay a price. It is called resignation, and responsibility starts at the top, "Livni said. "It is just part of the dramatic process of repair that the entire system needs to undergo."

Livni added she does not doubt the Netanyahu intended to stop the flames but he failed and turned the disaster into a media circus. In consequence, the failure cost human lives and revealed the inability to make systemic decisions and reinforce them with a budget planned years in advance.

A report regarding the Carmel fire incident, was released ahead of its schedule and mainly blames Interior Minister Eli Yishai, as well as Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz and Defense Minister Ehud Barak for the many failures of Israel's firefighting services .

Netanyahu said that he appreciated the report and committed himself to implement it as soon as possible. The Israeli PM added that within ten days he will present the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament) his proposal for a National Fire Service as well as a National Air Fire Service.

The Prime Minister had already increased the Fire and Rescue Service's budget by $27.5 million this year and has instructed his Military Secretary Yohanan Loaker to present him a proposal for establishing the aerial firefighting force to deal with massive fires like the one that devastated Carmel area.

Next Tuesday, the Knesset’s State Control Committee will meet to vote on whether to establish a Government Investigative Commission to prove the failures indicated in the State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss's report.

The fire broke out on Thursday afternoon across the Carmel mountains and most of the casualties were from a bus evacuating prison guards near Haifa in northern Israel.In addition, dozens more were injured including police officers and firefighters.

The fire continued to spread and police forces urged citizens to stay clear of the area, while more than 15,000 people were evacuated. The affected region has heavy brush that burns easily and is spreading due to the strong winds. At least 41 people died in the disaster.

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