“If they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:10)
On Saturday, June 18, Israel stepped up to help Cyprus tackle a forest fire that has blazed through six square miles near the town of Argaka. The fire, which has been fanned by high winds and scorching temperatures, is the worst Cyprus has seen in years.
It has caused irreparable environmental damage, consuming fruit orchards and pine forest, according to a statement from Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades.
“The situation is really tragic,” he told local media.
Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan instructed the Israel Fire and Rescue Services to send Cyprus three military firefighting air tankers and a C-130 Hercules cargo plane. The planes embarked on their mission Sunday morning.
Israeli and Cypriot firefighting teams (Israel Embassy in Cyprus photo)
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister briefed the Knesset, saying, “Last night, I ordered that three of our firefighting aircraft, out of our fleet of 13 or 14, be sent to help them, and the planes are now in Cyprus.
“This is part of the regional arrangement we have made with Cyprus and Greece about emergency assistance. I am pleased that we are able to extend this assistance.”
On Monday, Israel sent several more planes and firefighting supplies. Greece, France, Britain, and a dozen other nations also sent planes and helicopters to help tackle the fire, which began at the base of the Troodos Mountain, during the island’s first huge heat wave this year.
Cyprus police suspect that a 12-year-old boy started the fire while trying to burn dry grass by his grandfather’s summer home. (The Tower)
Troodos has many of the oldest trees in the world. (Photo by Chneophytou)
Monday showed notable progress for the relief team, as most of the Cyprus fire was brought under control.
Two firefighters battling the fire were killed when their vehicle overturned, and five others have been injured during the relief mission.
Israel’s response was in part a thank you for Cyprus’ help with the 2010 Mount Carmel fire, which killed 44 people and scorched more than 50,000 dunams, about 20 square miles.
Drawing on their regional emergency-assistance agreement between the two nations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contacted then Cyprus president Demetris Christofias, as well as the prime minister of Greece, to send firefighting planes to Israel.
“They had one such aircraft,” Netanyahu said to the Israeli Cabinet (Knesset) at their weekly meeting on Sunday morning. “They took it out of its hangar and sent it here.” (JPost)
This Israeli firefighting plane has a single-engine and is able to fly about three hours without refueling. It carries 3,000 liters of water. (IDF Spokesperson)
“Israeli relief efforts may not solve every problem, but they do have the capacity to open new doors and change things for the better,” writes Israel HaYom blogger Ariel Bolstein. “Having concluded that Israel is a perfect ally, Cyprus has taken concrete steps to bolster relations with the Jewish state.”
In February, a trilateral commission brought together Israel, Cyprus, and Greece to discuss how to collaborate on our nations’ shared values and goals. At the talks, Anastasiades confirmed that the three states share “the conviction that in order to effectively counter multiple challenges confronting us on a local, regional and international level, we must work collectively.” (Ynet)
As this past week has shown, those challenges can be very local as well as national. After Israel’s most intense battles against the blaze, Cyprus’ Minister of Education and Culture Costas Kadis conducted a two-day visit to Israel last week, on June 22–23. (Cyprus Mail)
There, Kadis met with his Israeli education ministry counterpart, Naftali Bennett, to sign an agreement of cooperation through 2019 in the areas of culture, education, and science.
Kadis also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Yad Vashem Museum toward further cooperation regarding Holocaust education.
