Israeli, Palestinian rescue teams hold joint exercise
Despite animosity toward activities involving Israeli-Palestinian cooperation efforts, several rescue teams from both sides of the border participate in drill simulating a car crash; ‘It's too bad that back in the real world things aren't as pretty as they are here.’
A joint exercise between Israeli and Palestinian rescue and security forces took place on Wednesday at a crossing near the West Bank Palestinian city of Jenin. The drill was conducted on the initiative of the Israeli Civil Administration, simulating a vehicular crash situation.
The joint exercise took place one week after an accident on Road 60 took the lives of seven people, including a mother and her five children. Palestinian and Israeli emergency teams worked together at the site of the accident.
During the exercise, the teams rushed to the upturned cars and began sawing them open while trying to avoid causing any damage to the dummies "trapped" inside.
"You have to remember that in Judea and Samaria there are a lot of routes where both Israelis and Palestinians drive, and that you have to (assist—ed) injured parties regardless of their origin," stated Lt. Gen. Samir Khayuf, who heads Jenin's Civil Administration Coordination Headquarters.
Despite the fact that such joint ventures are viewed by many Palestinians negatively, the Palestinian team members said that their motivation was high and stressed the separation they make between the political challenges and the daily reality they face. "It's true that the political situation carries an important role, but at the end of the day we receive orders from our leadership and carry them out," said Khaled Cadura, the head of Jenin Communication Unit.
After the end of the exercise and concluding meal, the Palestinian and Israeli rescue teams applauded each other and promised to carry out future joint events. "It's too bad that back in the real world things aren't as pretty as they are here," muttered one the participants.
