Turkey wins thanks from Netanyahu for its assistance, creating opportunity to mend fences
A fire consuming Israel’s Mount Carmel forest – the biggest in the country’s history – is providing a rare moment of cooperation between Israel and its neighbors and may even offer the chance for easing strained ties with Turkey.
Forty-one people have perished in the fire, which began last Thursday and has consumed some 10,000 acres of trees and forced more than 17,000 people to evacuate their homes.
Greece, which was devastated by forest fires last year, sent four aircraft and a Hercules plans and Cyprus two aircraft, Israel’s Foreign Ministry reported. All told, 24 of 35 aircraft used to douse the fire came from abroad.
Greece, which was devastated by forest fires last year, sent four aircraft and a Hercules plans and Cyprus two aircraft, Israel’s Foreign Ministry reported. All told, 24 of 35 aircraft used to douse the fire came from abroad.
The scale of the catastrophe caught Israel unprepared, but an appeal by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for international assistance was answered not just by Israel’s friends but by Turkey and some Arab governments. The prime minster on Sunday ordered a halt to new foreign fire-fighting aircraft, signaling that firefighters were close to gaining control.
Nevertheless, Turkey’s move may give the two countries a chance to mend frayed diplomatic relations
No comments:
Post a Comment