As a special cabinet meeting opened Sunday in Tirat Carmel, firefighters and air tankers were still battling to gain control of the Carmel fire that was burning nearby. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu explained to his cabinet, "It must be understood that that this is an entirely different kind of war. We are not dealing with regular fires."
The prime minister added, "Therefore, we must utilize various measures here which are different from those that are normally used."
Also giving updates on efforts to fight the Carmel fire was Air Force Maj.-Gen. Ido Nehushtan, who told the cabinet that 35 planes are in operation, including 24 from abroad. He said that as of Sunday, the aircraft have carried out 409 water-dropping flights.
Opening the meeting, Netanyahu said that he wants to eliminate bureaucracy and find quick solutions and alternative processes in order to rehabilitate the homes, neighborhoods, towns and businesses that have been damaged in the Carmel fire over the weekend.
The prime minister reiterated his earlier statement that asking for aid from other countries during a natural disaster is nothing to be ashamed of. He noted that during recent major fires in California, US and Russia, those countries also sought aid from foreign nations, and were not embarrassed to do so.
The Finance Ministry said it would allocate NIS 60 million to rehabilitate infrastructure and local authorities damaged in the Carmel fire, at the meeting.
At the beginning of the meeting , Welfare Minister Yitzhak Herzog said that his ministry would coordinate social rehabilitation efforts. "The government will give the Finance Ministry seven days to formulate a rehabilitation plan."
Netanyahu also took the opportunity to thank all those who have, and continue to serve and volunteer in fighting the fire and helping those affected by it. He thanked the firefighters, soldiers, police, volunteers, JNF-KKL, the Environmental Ministry and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
Prior to the cabinet meeting on Sunday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak toured damage from the Carmel fire at Kibbutz Beit Oren.
"Great damage was caused here," Barak said, "it was a huge disaster."
The defense minister told reporters of a conversation he had over the weekend "with some friends [who are members of Kibbutz Beit Oren] that I know for 50 years, from my time in the Paratroopers, and I understood that the fire destroyed many houses before fire crews even arrived."
During his visit, the defense minister promised that whatever damage isn't covered by insurance, the state will step in to cover.
Barak was scheduled to tour the heavily damaged Carmel town of Usfiya prior to the special cabinet meeting.