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.
I was the one who posted that and was since corrected -- we turned them down because we didn't need any outside help, not because of any fear of offending our Muslim "friends."
Thanks for that info!
Considering that there's looting going on, why shouldn't the Israeli aid workers have some protection?
He's on another thread starting the same shit. Of course, he won't back up any of his allegations.
You make a very good point.
Blood may be thicker than water, but bigotry is thicker than blood in Shri Lanka.
The anti-Israel crowd has never needed facts. Blind hatred seems to sustain them.
As I often have to remind myself at church or in biblical study, the act of giving is not just about whether the recipient is worthy, it is as much about offering the gift and the heart of the giver. Israel is doing the right thing, regardless of the reaction.
The US military regularly trains with troops from several nations on our soil. They have been doing so for years. Not all of those troops are from NATO member countries either.
Yes, I know, but I still think there would be some freeper outrage if they were seen in a disaster area, armed.
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