Israeli volunteers ready to help after earthquake in Turkey

Despite Ankara's refusal of international aid in the wake of a major earthquake that hit eastern Turkey on Sunday, a national volunteer group of Israelis stand prepared and ready to help in the rescue operation. Officials with IsraAid Fast Israeli Rescue and Search Team ( FIRST) said Monday that bilateral diplomatic strains should not get in the way of providing and accepting humanitarian assistance, and offered their help. Although the earthquake has claimed over 300 victims so far, Turkish authorities have refused foreign help, saying that local forces are able to cope with the rescue and recovery operation. "We're still waiting and we already have experience on the ground since we helped them during their earthquake," IsraAid- FIRST spokesman Shahar Zehavi told Xinhua. "I don't believe that they're rejecting Israel's help because of political reasons, and that should not interfere in the rescue efforts. But I really don't know if they're able to manage by themselves," Shahar said. "If they decide they need us, we have a team of 40 people ready to leave at any moment. We're in touch with our counterparts in Turkey, so we'll be very quick to act." The team has already worked with Turkish emergency, and search and rescue units after an earthquake rocked Turkey nine years ago. "We work in similar ways, speak the same languages, wear the same shirts with the same colors and speak in rescue codes," an IsraAid-FIRST official told the Ynet news site, "and we're colleagues with a close bond." Relations between Israel and Turkey have been frayed since Israeli soldiers raided a Gaza-bound Turkish vessel last year, killing nine Turkish citizens. After the incident, Turkey has gradually downgraded diplomatic and trade ties with Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Sunday that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan refused to accept Israel's help.