International efforts in Israel

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has pledged the organisation’s support for Israel, as the country battles a major forest fire outside the northern port of Haifa, The Journal reports. Forty-one people have died and another 17,000 have been evacuated from the area. About 7,000 acres have been scorched.

Turkey, Spain, Greece, Russia, Egypt, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Croatia and France have all offered assistance. Israel has no firefighting aircraft of its own, and Turkey’s provision of planes has helped to bridge a diplomatic impasse between the two countries, which came to a head with the Gaza blockade last May, when Israeli troops killed nine
Turkish people.

The Azerbaijani Ministry for Emergencies (MES) today sent two helicopters to join the international forces helping Israel in the battle with a huge forest fire, APA reports.

The two helicopters – a "Ka-32A" and a "Mi-17-1b" - and their 16-member crews have already left for Israel from Baku International Airport. The head of the Aviation Group of the Azerbaijani MES, Colonel Ashraf Gasimov, informed journalists that the Azerbaijani government is answering the Israeli government’s appeal. According to
him, the Azerbaijani firemen will initially take part in fire extinguishing operations around the city of Haifa, where the blaze is more widespread. The Azerbaijani MES is expected to participate in the operations for 10 days. However, this period may be extended, if necessary.