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   Whilst feeling sorry for individuals, the Iranians don't deserve any help   
   from Israel or any Western country that they have been demonizing for years.   
      
   ""MIDIcian" (tm)"  wrote in message   
   news:bsqrfk$oul$0@pita.alt.net...   
   >       Israeli groups seek way to help Iran earthquake victims   
   >   
   >       By Yam Yehoshua, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press   
   >   
   >   
   >   
   >       Delegates from Israeli humanitarian relief groups met Monday in Tel   
   > Aviv, and decided to provide assistance to survivors of last week's   
   > earthquake in Iran that killed tens of thousands. Representatives of the   
   > Topaz organization for youth at risk, the kibbutzim humanitarian fund, the   
   > First rescue organization, and other groups took part in the meeting.   
   >   
   >   
   >       Next week, delegates from these groups will turn to an international   
   > organization that is operating in Iran, and ask it to act as a conduit for   
   > their donation, apparently equipment such as tents and medicine. Due to   
   the   
   > devastating scope of the earthquake damage, the Israeli relief workers   
   > believe that their assistance to Iran will continue for at least half a   
   > year.   
   >   
   >       The Iranian announcement barring assistance of any sort from Israel   
   > will require these groups to keep a low profile, as they work on behalf of   
   > the earthquake victims. "We're not here to engage in provocation," said   
   > Shahar Zahavi Monday. "The bottom line is to give aid to needy disaster   
   > victims."   
   >   
   >       Following the devastating tremor Friday in the Iranian city of Bam,   
   > Iran said it was willing to accept aid from any nation - except Israel.   
   >   
   >       Israeli officials have recently branded Iran as the number one   
   danger   
   > to Israel because of its nuclear weapons program. Iran does not recognize   
   > Israel as a legitimate state.   
   >   
   >       'Latet' has back channel lined up   
   >       Brushing aside the Iranian refusal, the Israeli humanitarian group   
   > "Latet" said it would try to ship aid to Iran some other way.   
   >   
   >       "We are checking to see how we can send (the aid) through a third   
   > party," said Jenny Perelis, a spokeswoman for Latet, which means "to give"   
   > in Hebrew.   
   >   
   >       Latet's international project director, Raanan Amir, said a deal was   
   > already lined up.   
   >   
   >       "There is no real wait. We are just checking the best and most   
   > effective way to send the help," Amir said.   
   >   
   >       However, neither Perelis nor Amir would name the third party,   
   fearing   
   > that publicity would torpedo the deal.   
   >   
   >       Perelis said that her group, which has supplied disaster relief to   
   17   
   > countries in the last decade, has been inundated with offers from Israelis   
   > to donate for the Bam victims.   
   >   
   >       "We have been offered equipment, blankets, money and food but we   
   have   
   > told the people to wait until we can be sure we can deliver," she said.   
   >   
   >       Iranian officials said that more than 25,000 bodies have been   
   > recovered since Friday's 6.6-magnitude earthquake shook the city, and some   
   > have expressed fears that the death toll could rise as high as 40,000. At   
   > least 10,000 were injured.   
   >   
   >       Latet organizers said they were unfazed by Iran's pre-emptive   
   refusal   
   > of Israeli aid.   
   >   
   >       "Our obligation is to help when there are humanitarian disasters, to   
   > help people in need around the world," Amir said.   
   >   
   >       "Officially there is an unwillingness to accept Israeli aid," said   
   > Amir. "But in a quiet way we are hearing that they would be happy to   
   receive   
   > this help," he said.   
   >   
   >       Foreign Ministry spokesman Jonathan Peled said that while the   
   > government had no connection to any aid project, there were no objections   
   to   
   > Israeli groups aiding the Iranians on "a people-to-people basis."   
   >   
   >       "We have no problems with the Iranian citizens," Peled said adding   
   > that while Israel had not officially offered aid, it had sent its   
   > condolences to the Iranian people.   
   >   
   >   
   >   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)