A man walks past a damaged building following an earthquake in Darbandikhan in Sulaimaniya Governorate, Iraq, November 13, 2017. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY Israel offered to provide aid to the victims of Sunday’s earthquake at the Iran-Iraq border, but Iran rejected Israel’s offer for help.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video on Wednesday explaining that “as a father, as an Israeli, as a Jew, I wanted to help.”
“Israel has no quarrel with the people of Iran,” said Netanyahu. “We never have. Our only quarrel is with the cruel Iranian regime, a regime that holds its people hostage, a regime that threatens our people with annihilation.”
Netanyahu added that Israel has a history of providing humanitarian aid worldwide, including “Haiti, Phillippines, Mexico” and those who have been afflicted by the Syrian civil war.
“We do all this for one reason: we do it because it’s the right thing to do,” said Netanyahu. “Too many times in my people’s history, the world failed to act when it could, the world failed to do the right thing. So we have a special sensitivity to help those in need.”
Netanyahu concluded the video by noting that Israel’s constant humanitarian aid shows the true nature of Israel.
“This is Israel,” said Netanyahu. “Compassionate. Caring. Kind.”
Why did Israel offer medical aid to victims of the earthquake on the Iran-Iraq border? For one reason… pic.twitter.com/f12LGJfeMR
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) November 15, 2017
An anonymous official from Netanyahu’s office told the Times of Israel that Iran shot down Israel’s offer for aid.
“This shows the true face of the Iranian regime,” said the official.
Iran also rejected Israel’s offer for aid in 2003 after an earthquake killed over 26,000 people.
Sunday’s earthquake registered at a 7.3 magnitude, killing 500 people and wounding almost 8,000.
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