- Title: ISRAEL: Deadly Israeli fire rages on despite global aid
- Date: 5th December 2010
- Summary: MOUNT CARMEL, ISRAEL (DECEMBER 4, 2010) (REUTERS) PLANE DROPPING WATER OVER FIRE ISIFIA, ISRAEL (DECEMBER 4, 2010) (REUTERS) HELICOPTER DUMPING WATER ON FLAMES OF FIRE BURNING IN LANDSCAPE FIRE AND SMOKE IN FOREST VARIOUS OF HELICOPTER DUMPING WATER FIRE-FIGHTERS PULLING HOSE IN FOREST CLOSE OF FIRE-FIGHTER PULLING HOSE SMOKE RISING FROM FOREST HAIFA, ISRAEL (DE
- Embargoed: 20th December 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Israel, Israel
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Environment / Natural World
- Reuters ID: LVA3DULQN38IXXRHPDQS5BA1GNAK
- Story Text: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says fighting hugh fire requires international cooperation as people battle fire in their destroyed homes.
Israel struggled to contain a huge and deadly forest fire that raged on for a third day on Saturday (December 4), despite the efforts of firefighting planes from half a dozen countries.
The worst inferno in Israel's history has killed 41 people, forced 17,000 to flee their homes and destroyed some 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) of woodland near the port of Haifa. By nightfall it had still not been brought under control.
Foreign firefighting planes joined the battle to contain the blaze after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed for help because of a shortage of such aircraft in Israel.
"These are mega-fires, they are huge, gigantic forest fires and they require a different technology, they require international co-operation," Netanyahu said in a news conference in Haifa.
Planes and helicopters from the United States, Spain, Azerbaijan and Switzerland were expected to join those from Russia, Turkey, Greece, Britain, France and Cyprus, already dumping water on the flames.
Jordan, Egypt and Bulgaria were among other nations rushing in supplies such as flame retardant, fire trucks and crews, to help Israel cope with the conflagration.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also offered to send help, in a rare telephone conversation with Netanyahu. The two were not believed to have spoken since U.S.-sponsored peace negotiations stalled in September.
"I had a very good conversation with him (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas), very warm, I expressed my appreciation for this step and for his empathy and for the condolences he sent, as did others and I told him that we are in the same neighbourhood," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu added that he would establish a fleet of fire-fighter aircraft, which he told Abbas would be made available to Israel's Arab neighbours where necessary.
Many Israelis have been angry and some were demanding an investigation into how their country armed with the most advanced weaponry could be short of emergency equipment to quell a fire. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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