Israel has received a direct request for assistance from Syria following the devastating earthquake which struck the region last night. In a surprising development, diplomatic sources say that Syria has made an official request for help and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed Israel to respond.
Netanyahu's bureau told journalists, "Over the past day there has been a very powerful earthquake in Turkey that has hit other areas as well. I have instructed that search and rescue teams and medicines be sent, according to the request of the Turkish government. This is what we have done around the world and this is what we are also doing in our region too. Since a request was also received to do this for the many victims of the earthquake in Syria, I instructed that this be done too."
Enquiries from "Globes," found that the official request for assistance was from Syria and not through international aid agencies as might have been expected.
The IDF Home Guard Search and Rescue Unit mission is already preparing to fly out to the stricken region in Turkey but it is not yet clear how Israeli assistance will be given on the Syrian side of the border.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit 10 cities in southeast Turkey and cities and villages over the border in Syria. Hundreds of buildings have collapsed and thousands of other buildings sustained major damage. By the early afternoon there were reports of 1,500 dead in Turkey and nearly 1,000 more fatalities in Syria. Hundreds more are trapped in the rubble, while stormy winter weather and heavy damage to electricity and communications infrastructure are hampering rescue efforts.
Initial estimates are that Turkey has sustained damage that will cost tens of billions of dollars to repair and the country will request international assistance following the earthquake.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 6, 2023.
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