Nearly two dozen pine and cypress trees in the Carmel Forest were felled during the night between Sunday and Monday last week and left blocking a main road. The police have been asked to investigate what the authorities perceive as a case of revenge after equipment was confiscated from Daliat al-Carmel and Isfiya villagers for illegally felling trees in recent weeks.

Each year, as winter approaches, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) comes across illegal logging: People cut down trees for firewood.

"Two weeks ago we ran into people on a tractor cutting down trees. They had a wagon full of logs. They fled and we confiscated the tractor and wagon," says INPA inspecter Alon Levy. Two days later he received phone threats, "which is routine," he says. The next day five downed trees were discovered, apparently the first stage of revenge for the loss of the vehicle.