(Los Angeles Times) Michael B. Oren - Earlier this month Israel struggled to extinguish a forest fire that engulfed the Carmel region of the Lower Galilee, claiming 42 lives. A country that has prevailed through successive wars and terrorist attacks, Israel had never before confronted such a devastating natural disaster. And we could not overcome it alone. A self-reliant people who are renowned as first responders to disasters abroad, we are accustomed to offering rather than requesting aid. And yet, as the Carmel fire spread, Prime Minister Netanyahu did not stand on pride. "We live in a global world," he explained. "We give and receive help, and it's not shameful to ask." For Israelis, who sometimes feel isolated in the world and misunderstood, the international outpouring of goodwill and common humanity aroused by the fire response gave us the rare opportunity to feel part of a caring global community. The writer is Israel's ambassador to the U.S.
2010-12-17 08:43:29Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive