Israel received help from a number of unexpected sources as firefighters attempted to battle one of the worst blazes in state history, but none more surprising than that received from the Palestinian Authority.
Senior Palestinian security official Ahmed Rizek Abu Rabia said a number of Palestinian fire trucks had taken part in a special operation in Taibe and Barta'a, two Arab villages in the Galilee.
Rizek said the teams had extinguished fires in and around Barta'a, and that they continue to operate in the area. "This is a human catastrophe," Rizek said. "The Palestinian side is offering all the help it can through official channels."
Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey also sent aid. But they also sustained criticism. A Palestinian official identified with Islamic Jihad inveighed Friday against Arab leaders "whose hearts fill with compassion for the Zionist disaster".
"There is no need to tell you how delighted we are that more than 40 cadets who tortured prisoners were killed in this fire. We never met with your compassion when Israel attacked us. Let the fire consume (Israel)," he said.