IDF standing by to send assistance after 7.2-quake hits Turkey's southeast.

Turkey: We declined all offers of assistance - Turkish official says Ankara gave Israel same answer it did to all other nations who offered aid in wake of disastrous earthquake

Ynet reporters Latest Update: 10.23.11

Israel is preparing to send aid to Turkey in the wake of a powerful earthquake that hit the east of the country. The Foreign Ministry said that the scope of the assistance depends on Ankara's willingness to accept it.



According to reports, up to 1,000 could be dead due to the 7.2-magnitue quake that struck the Van province Sunday. Turkey's deputy prime minister said that around 45 buildings have collapsed in the town of Ercis and the city of Van. Ercis sits on a geological fault line.



Defense Minister Ehud Barak has asked the head of the Political-Military Affairs Division at the ministry, Amos Gilad, to offer Turkey "all the help that it needs."







Meanwhile, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz instructed the army to get ready to aid the quake-stricken region. Gantz said that an IDF delegation will head to Turkey as soon as it receives approval from the government.

The Foreign Ministry is also looking into sending help, in coordination with the Home Front Command. Considering the strained ties betweenIsrael and Turkey, the ministry said that any such assistance would depend on Ankara's willingness to accept it.



Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon, who is visiting Germany, said that "Israel is always ready to help when natural disasters strike."



A final authorization on the issue would have to come from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.



President Shimon Peres called Turkey's President Abdullah Gul to express his condolences over the deaths caused by the quake.

"I speak as a person, a Jew and an Israeli, who remembers and is fully aware of the extent of the historic relations between our two peoples," he said. "On behalf of our nation I send my condolences to the families of the victims. In this trying time, Israel is willing to provide any necessary aid anywhere and anytime."



Gul thanked Peres, and said that Turkey is currently estimating the extent of damage. He added that he hoped the Turkish search and rescue forces will be able to handle the relief efforts.



Despite the diplomatic crisis between the two nations, which was triggered by last year's Gaza flotilla incident, Turkey sent Israel several firefighting planes that aided in putting out the massive blaze that broke out in the Carmel Forest last December.








Turkey: We declined all offers of assistance -
Turkey has not yet made any call for international assistance after Sunday's powerful earthquake in which many people were feared killed, a Foreign Ministry official said.





The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Turkey had received offers of assistance from dozens of countries, including Israel, and so far had declined help from all of them.







The announcement comes following an Israeli offer for aid made by President Shimon Peres in a phone call with Turkish President Abdullah Gul. Gul replied that he hopes local rescue forces can manage in the meantime.

This raised the question whether the Turkish response is in some way linked to the diplomatic crisis between Jerusalem and Ankara following last year's Gaza flotilla. In August, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan downgraded ties with Israel including trade and military cooperation.



Meanwhile, the US expressed concern over the disaster. The United States is following reports about Turkey's earthquake with great concern and is ready to help, President Barack Obama said on Sunday.



"We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Turkish ally in this difficult time and are ready to assist the Turkish authorities," Obama said in a written statement.













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