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Sri Lanka Accepts Israel's Offer To Send Medical Supplies, But Not IDF Delegation
Haaretz ^ | 12-29-04 | Haaretz Staff

Posted on 12/29/2004 8:58:21 AM PST by My Favorite Headache

Sri Lanka accepts Israel's offer to send medical supplies, but not IDF delegation

By Haaretz Staff and Agencies

A 150-member Israeli aid delegation canceled its mission to Sri Lanka yesterday after the government in Colombo refused to accept the Israeli team, Israel Defense Forces officials said.

The plane was due to touch down in Colombo for a few hours and return directly to Israel. The Sri Lankan government, however, declined the offer, saying it only needed humanitarian supplies at this time.

The Sri Lankan president's military secretary sent a notice to his foreign and defense ministries yesterday expressing support for the arrival of a smaller 50-member Israeli delegation. "We are not opposed to a plane loaded with medical supplies, food and blankets that will be accompanied by a medical team comprised of 50 IDF people, as the Israeli Foreign Ministry requested in a letter," the military secretary said.

Israel is sending supplies at Sri Lanka's request, including 10,000 blankets contributed by the IDF, tents, nylon sheeting and water containers. The IDF Home Front Command is organizing aid preparations.

The Israeli humanitarian organization Latet ("To Give") sent a separate aid package yesterday, filling a jumbo jet with 18 tons of supplies worth $50,000, at Sri Lanka's request. The group is considering sending additional aid shortly.

The aid delegation that had been set to depart for Sri Lanka yesterday included medical teams and representatives of the IDF and Defense Ministry, who were planning to provide humanitarian assistance and participate in search-and-rescue operations.

The delegation was planning to assemble a medical facility comprised of specialist doctors, and set up emergency, internal medicine and pediatric departments, as well as laboratory and X-ray facilities in the southern part of Sri Lanka.

A far smaller team landed in Sri Lanka on Monday night, headed by four doctors from Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Karem in Jerusalem. The team was carrying medicine and baby food.

The doctors - who specialize in rescue operations, trauma and pediatrics - were also checking the viability of setting up a field hospital in the area, and advised Israel to send a larger team, such as the one Sri Lanka rejected.

"We will advise Israel and the Foreign Ministry... to send something more massive," said Dr. Avi Rivkind, director of Hadassah's trauma unit. "We will try to use our... broad experience in dealing with terror attacks and rescuing masses to help in this disaster as well."

Israel is considering sending similar delegations to Thailand, where more than 1,400 people have died, and to India, where more than 9,500 people have died or are feared dead, but has yet to make a final decision on the matter.

A Health Ministry contingent left for Thailand late Monday night to aid in the rescue efforts there after around 1,000 people, including tourists, were killed on the islands of Phuket and Phi Phi. The contingent includes doctors, nurses and four members of the IDF, Israel Radio reported.

Israel has also offered its assistance to India, passing on the offer to Indian authorities through Israel's military attache, Colonel Moshe Krawitz. The IDF offered aid of two kinds - a search-and-rescue team from the Home Front Command, as well as consignments of food and medicine.

A ZAKA rescue-and-recovery team left for the disaster areas Monday night. In addition, the police sent a team of forensic experts to Phuket.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Israel; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: humanitarianrelief; idf; israel; srilanka; sumatraquake
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To: MizSterious

I don't have the source, but I remember reading it last year and also more than once here on FR. I will try google.


21 posted on 12/29/2004 9:26:59 AM PST by conserv13
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To: My Favorite Headache
I was listening to a local radio station this morning, and a caller said that the reason why Sri Lanka refused the aid was because the Isreali army helped train the "Tamil Tigers"

Any truth to this assertion?

22 posted on 12/29/2004 9:28:02 AM PST by Cowboy Bob (Fraud is the lifeblood of the Democratic Party)
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To: My Favorite Headache

They welcome medical personnel. What they don't want is military personnel for fear there may be spies among them. The rejection is legitimate as israel is well known for spying in the US and in other countries of the world.


23 posted on 12/29/2004 9:28:06 AM PST by Baraonda (Demographic is destiny. Don't hire 3rd world illegal aliens nor support businesses that hire them.)
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To: My Favorite Headache

I personally think that FRs would be screaming their heads off at the site of foreign troops on our soil...even the IDF.


24 posted on 12/29/2004 9:30:27 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: My Favorite Headache

What religion are the majority of Sri Lankans? I guess I had always assumed they were either Hindu or Buddhist since they were so close to India. But, come to think of it, they're close to Indonesia too. Are they Islamic?


25 posted on 12/29/2004 9:31:01 AM PST by Bluegrass Conservative
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To: conserv13

"Guess who else did not want the IDF helping during a disaster? G. W. Bush, who turned them down after 9-11."

And Bush did the right thing not to let these possible spies set foot on our soil and join the ones already entrenched here.

God bless G.W.Bush.


26 posted on 12/29/2004 9:31:05 AM PST by Baraonda (Demographic is destiny. Don't hire 3rd world illegal aliens nor support businesses that hire them.)
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To: stuartcr

They're "on our soil" all the time anyway--in case you didn't know, we train military from many countries, including some from Israel. As long as they're here anyway, they might as well roll up their sleeves and pitch in. (And for the record, we, too, deploy spies in some instances--and if we don't, we should.)


27 posted on 12/29/2004 9:38:55 AM PST by MizSterious (First, the journalists, THEN the lawyers.)
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To: conserv13

FR's archive search seems limited to articles posted after 2003, not much help.


28 posted on 12/29/2004 9:40:14 AM PST by MizSterious (First, the journalists, THEN the lawyers.)
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To: MizSterious

Yes, unarmed, and in areas of control...not in a disaster area.


29 posted on 12/29/2004 9:40:58 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: Bluegrass Conservative

They are 70% Buddhist, 15% Hindu, 8% Christian, and 7% Muslim.


30 posted on 12/29/2004 9:41:51 AM PST by unbalanced but fair
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To: stuartcr

Well, there you have it. Heaven forbid we accept help from nations whose troops we train.


31 posted on 12/29/2004 9:42:42 AM PST by MizSterious (First, the journalists, THEN the lawyers.)
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Comment #32 Removed by Moderator

To: unbalanced but fair
They are 70% Buddhist, 15% Hindu, 8% Christian, and 7% Muslim.

Thanks! I was hoping that was the case. I was worried at first that it might be a Islamic country with the "No Jews Welcome" sign at the front door.

With that scenario being eliminated, I'm not sure this was such a stupid move by Sri Lanka. First of all, they probably did not want another country's soldiers in their country. Nothing wrong with that. Secondly, they may be receiving aid from Islamic countries that would revoke that aid if they had allowed the Israelis in. Can you really fault them for turning down the Israelis to make sure they received the money from the wealthy middle eastern countries? Lastly, as a small nation already involved in a civil war, do they really want to look like they are allies with Israel with all of the militant Islamic nations nearby?

33 posted on 12/29/2004 9:50:15 AM PST by Bluegrass Conservative
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Comment #34 Removed by Moderator

To: MizSterious
I don't have time to go through everything on google either...I will assume that it is not true.

This issue yesterday though really broke my heart, as a lot of people here on FR wrote things like 'if Sri Lanka won't take help from Israel (which is not true, they were taking Israeli help, just not 150 IDF troops), then screw them I won't help either!'

35 posted on 12/29/2004 9:55:32 AM PST by conserv13
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Comment #36 Removed by Moderator

To: Bluegrass Conservative

Israel is Sri Lanka's largest arms supplier along with India.Israeli special forces have trained Sri Lankan anti-terror & VIP protection forces.The rejection of the Israeli military delegation can be explained to a variety of reasons.First a number of nations have sent aid to Sri Lanka,including Arab nations & Pakistan(hope you can draw conclusions from that).The Indian navy & airforce are also deeply involved in relief operations in S.L.


37 posted on 12/29/2004 9:58:51 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
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To: My Favorite Headache
Sri Lanka and Israel have secret military ties.

http://www.nti.org/db/missile/2000/m0011200.htm

According to Israel defense sources, Israel conducted cruise missile tests off the coast of Sri Lanka in May 2000. The Israeli-made missiles, equipped with conventional warheads, were launched from German-built Dolphin-class submarines. These cruise missiles, which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, hit targets at sea at a range of approximately 930 miles.

Israel reportedly intends to equip its three Dolphin-class submarines with four cruise missiles each. According to Israeli sources, the submarines will give Israel a crucial third pillar of nuclear defense to complement its land and air forces.[1] One submarine would be deployed to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, the other in the Mediterranean Sea. The third submarine would remain on stand-by. The missiles could only be launched with the approval of the prime minister, defense minister, chief of staff of the army, and the commander of the navy.

38 posted on 12/29/2004 9:59:24 AM PST by milestogo
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To: My Favorite Headache

Somebody should Fedex the Vatican a clue.


39 posted on 12/29/2004 10:00:13 AM PST by Petronski (Thank God I'm only watching the game....controlling it....)
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To: conserv13

Your heart must get broken a lot here on FR.


40 posted on 12/29/2004 10:01:49 AM PST by stuartcr
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