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Turkey Declines Aid Offer From Israel After Massive Earthquake Strikes East Turkey

By: EW News Desk Team Date: 24 October 2011

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24 October 2011

The Turkish government has turned down an offer for “any aid they might need” from its former ally Israel, after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the eastern part of Turkey early Sunday afternoon – killing between 500 to 1000 people, with many more believed to be injured or missing.

Relations between the two nations have been tense ever since Israeli commandos killed nine Turks during a raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip in 2010, while tensions rose again last month after Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador for refusing to apologise for the killings.

However, in the wake of Sunday’s earthquake, the Israelis appeared keen to offer an olive branch to its neighbours, though that has been subsequently turned down.

According to AFP, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, upon hearing about the earthquake, had apparently instructed his head of the diplomatic-security bureau, Amos Gilad, to contact Turkish officials and offer them "any aid that they may need."

A report by Xinhua also indicated that the Israeli defense forces' chief of staff, Lt.- Gen. Benny Gantz had told the Homefront Command's search and rescue unit – which has had international experience in handling earthquake rescue missions in Greece, Argentina and Haiti – to prepare aid and gear pending Ankara's agreement to accept the mission.

"I think this is what neighbors should be doing with one another," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netayanhu, as quoted by Reuters.

However, a Turkish foreign ministry official told Reuters that while Turkey had received offers of help from dozens of countries after the earthquake, it has thus far declined assistance from all of them.

"I am under the impression the Turks do not want our help," Barak said in an interview with Channel 2 News. "Right now (their answer) is negative but if they see they need more aid and don't have it, or if they rethink it, we have made the offer and remain prepared (to help).”

Israeli President Shimon Peres also called up his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul on Sunday and spoke to him for the first time ever since the Israeli ambassador was expelled from Turkey.

"At this difficult time Israel is willing to provide any aid required anywhere in Turkey and at any time," Peres told Gul, according to a statement issued by Peres's office.

Gul, on his part, informed Peres that Turkey was still assessing the damage from the earthquake and that he was hopeful that Turkish rescue teams could handle the disaster by themselves.

While bi-lateral relationships between the two countries have been tense in recent times, both nations have often offered assistance to each other in times of great humanitarian need.

Last December, Turkey sent fire-fighting planes into Israel to help battle a brush fire that had killed 41 people. A military rescue team from Israel had also operated in Turkey the last time a major earthquake struck the region.

Israel must "do what we can to rebuild ties with Turkey", said Israeli Deputy Minister Dan Meridor in an interview with Channel 1 television as quoted by Reuters.

"Both countries, which can be and were once, anchors of stability in the Mideast, have a joint interest in co-operating and I hope this returns," said Meridor.