Obama offers 'condolences,' aid in fighting Israel fire

03/12/2010

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- US President Barack Obama on Thursday expressed his "deepest condolences" for the victims of a massive forest fire in Israel and said the United States had offered to help fight it.

The blaze engulfed a forest near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, killing 40 people, most of them prison guards on board a bus that was trapped in the inferno, the worst in Israel's 62-year history.

"I want to begin by offering our deepest condolences to the families, loved ones, of all of those who died," Obama told some 500 guests during a Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony at the White House.

"As rescuers, firefighters are continuing their work, the United States is acting to help our Israeli friends in this time of disaster," he said, adding that the government was looking into what kinds of aid it could provide.

The Israeli fire service has urgently called up all 1,500 firefighters in the country, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an urgent appeal for international assistance in containing the fire.

Offers have poured in, with Greece pledging to send four firefighting planes, Cyprus offering a helicopter and another firefighting aircraft, and Bulgaria reportedly sending 90 firefighters.

Israel's foreign ministry said it had also received pledges of help from Romania, Azerbaijan, France, Russia, Croatia and Turkey.

Source: Ma'an News Agency.
Link: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=338435.