By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency / Jewish News Agency
Jerusalem, Israel — February 6, 2023 … Israel President Isaac Herzog spoke today with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of the Republic of Türkiye and asked to give him and the Turkish people encouragement following the tragic disaster of the earthquakes that struck Turkey and the region overnight.
The President expressed his condolences on behalf of the Israeli people to President Erdoğan and noted that on the instructions of the Prime Minister and the relevant authorities, a large and well-equipped Israel Defense Forces Search and Rescue mission on behalf of the State of Israel will depart tonight to the disaster zone. The President added that at an event he attended today, he spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid and they agreed that we in Israel are united in our desire to assist Turkey as is needed.
President Erdoğan thanked President Herzog for his condolences and for the critical search and rescue mission, and he underscored that this assistance will greatly aid the many forces that have been operating on the ground for many hours already. He also emphasized his gratitude for Israel’s stand alongside its friend, Türkiye, at this difficult hour. In their conversation, President Erdoğan updated President Herzog on the latest figures about the scale of the disaster, noting that this was the biggest earthquake in the history of the Republic of Türkiye.
At the end of their conversation, President Erdoğan expressed his deepest condolences to the Israeli people for last week’s terror attack at a synagogue in Neve Yaakov in Jerusalem.
The delegation, led by the IDF Home Front Command, is expected to begin its search & rescue mission immediately.
Israel Prepares For Earthquakes
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Directs NSC Director Tzachi Hanegbi to Hold Assessment of Israel’s Readiness for Earthquakes
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening (February 6, 2023), directed Israel National Security Adviser and Director of the National Security (NSC) Council Tzachi Hanegbi to hold an assessment of the readiness of the State of Israel for earthquakes.
NSC Director Hanegbi will convene the discussion at the earliest opportunity with the participation of all government ministries.