Israel offers hurricane aid
Prime Minister Sharon sends condolence letter to U.S. President Bush, offers to help aid relief effort; some Arab countries say disaster Divine retribution for American policy
Sharon said Israel was prepared to dispatch medical and search-and-rescue teams, trauma experts, field hospitals, medical kits and equipment for temporary housing to aid the victims.
Sharon also said the aid could be made available within 24 hours.
Shalom contacts Rice
In addition, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom sent a similar letter to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.
Director-General of the foreign ministry's North America desk, David Roth, told Ynet the ministry has instructed Israeli consulates in the southern U.S. to make themselves available to relief efforts.
"This is an opportunity for Israel to help its ally, the United States. Of course, we won't pretend we can save the U.S., but we are happy to be able to help," he said.
Kuwait: Allah's punishment
However, not everyone has been sympathetic to the Americans.
According to the Middle East Media Research Institute, one Kuwaiti official said, "Hurricane Katrina is an evil wind sent by Allah to the American empire.
"Katrina is one of Allah's soldiers," wrote Mohammed Yusuf al-Malaipi. "I ask myself, 'Does the United States support justice, freedom or equality around the world?'
"They say that everything they've done in Iraq and Afghanistan was in the name of justice?... How strange that after all the United States' accomplishments in the name of humanity, the mighty winds came and ripped apart an entire city," he wrote.
- Diana Bahur-Nir contributed to the report
