Israel, which has a long history of aiding countries devastated by natural disasters sent Monday a 150-member military mission to Turkey in support of its country’s response to the huge 7.8 earthquake that rocked Turkey and caused it to shiver to the foundations.
“Some 150 rescue experts are prepared to leave for Turkey in the next few hours. Of these, a third are headquarters and intelligence, and two-thirds have rescue, medical, and engineering capabilities,”Col. Golan Vach, Commander of the IDF National Rescue Unit stated.
“At the request of the Turkish government, I have instructed all authorities to make immediate preparations to provide medical, and search and rescue assistance,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated. “The foreign and defense ministers have already been in contact with their counterparts and we will — in the coming hours — agree on the dispatching of a delegation as soon as possible.”
“This is what we do around the world and this is what we do in areas close to us,” Netanyahu continued. “Since a request was also received to do this – for the many who were injured in the earthquake in Syria, I have instructed that this be done as well.”
Eli Cohen, Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs informed him Turkey would. “welcome the Israeli aid.”It was titled “Olive Branches,”On Monday morning, two Israeli search-and rescue teams went to Turkey. An additional flight with the entire IDF rescue team and medical personnel was also planned. The IDF has built a Turkish field hospital, as approved by Defense Minister Yoav Galant.
As a gesture of compassion and friendship following the terrible earthquake, the Tel Aviv municipal building was lit with the Turkish flag. #earthquake.
Teams for medical and search and rescue from #Israelthey are on the way to your assistance #Turkey. pic.twitter.com/QlxghWmYjC
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) February 6, 2023
Israel donated 80 tonnes of supplies, including food, tents generators, baby formula and bedding, to the U.S. in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. It also provided emergency aid for the tsunami victims in Sri Lanka and Indonesia in 2004. Israel provided food and other supplies for Kashmir following the 2005 earthquake. It also donated food and aid to Congo in 2008. Israel provided relief for storm victims in the Philippines during 2009
Israel dispatched over 200 people to Haiti as part of its first disaster relief mission. This relief team was sent in January 2010 from any location on the planet. In March 2011, Israel became the first country to provide aid to Japan following devastating earthquakes.
More than 140 countries received assistance from Israel.
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