PA firefighters arrive in Israel (archives)
Photo: AFP
Abbas honors firefighters who helped douse Carmel blaze
Palestinian leader says firefighters who helped Israel acted like Salah al-Din. 'It was our duty to provide aid in order to save lives and the environment,' he says
During a ceremony held in the West Bank Saturday in honor of the Palestinian firefighters who helped Israel extinguish the deadly fire in the Carmel region, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told them, "You did great work.
"Palestinian history shows we have never hesitated to fulfill our humane duty in cases such as these. Salah al-Din sent his personal physician to treat his enemy, England's King Richard, who headed the crusade to conquer our land," Abbas said.
"Our neighbors suffered a tragedy, and it was our duty to provide aid in order to save lives and the environment," the Palestinian leader said. "We won't hesitate to offer such assistance - to Israel or any other country."
According to Abbas, the aid given to Israel would also help boost the Palestinians' image abroad.
President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent Abbas a telegram in which they thanked the Palestinians for helping Israel fight the woodland inferno, which claimed the lives of 43 people.
- Follow Ynetnews on Facebook
