Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday offered humanitarian aid to victims of the earthquake that has left hundreds in Iran and Iraq dead, but was immediately turned down.
Netanyahu told a gathering of North American Jewish leaders via videoconference that Israel had offered the aid via the Red Cross, following Sunday’s magnitude 7.3 quake that killed at least 530 people in Iran and several people in Iraq, and injured thousands across the region.
The Israeli Prime Minister said: “I just saw the pictures of the destruction in Iran and Iraq from this week’s earthquake, and I saw these heartbreaking images of men and women and children buried under the rubble. So I am proud to announce tonight that a few hours ago I directed that we offer the Red Cross medical assistance for the Iraqi and Iranian victims of this disaster”.
He added: “I’ve said many times that we have no quarrel with the people of Iran. Our quarrel is only with the tyrannical regime that holds them hostage and threatens our destruction. But our humanity is greater than their hatred”.
An official in Netanyahu’s office said that the offer was immediately rejected.
