Joining forces

"These are people who lost their houses, and they’re bringing us food. It’s been emotional," says a police captain from Cyprus.

By BEN HARTMAN
cyprus plane_521 (photo credit: Ben Hartman)
cyprus plane_521
(photo credit: Ben Hartman)
‘We went to the hotel in Haifa and people saw that we were in our flight uniforms and they offered us chocolates and doughnuts and were waiting for us outside the hotel to say thank you. Inside the hotel they came to buy us juice and food. These are people who lost their houses, and they’re bringing us food. It’s been emotional.”
Speaking to reporters at the Techni Air Force Base in Haifa on Sunday, Cyprus police captain Elias Savva described an outpouring of warmth and gratitude shown to him and his men from the Israeli people ever since they arrived on Friday to help fight the Carmel wildfire.
Savva said that being in Israel, he could see the similarities between his men and his Israeli counterparts. “Well, we’re not far away, and we have similar customs and food.” He added, “I think the cooperation has been fantastic. We have everybody saying thank you and we should say thank you because the hospitality has been fantastic. We’re staying in a hotel organized by the base commander [IAF Colonel Danny Frankel], who has provided everything we could possibly need and has been so supportive. He is the face of Israel for us and reflects all of Israel for us.”
Savva said he didn’t think the fire revealed Israel’s weakness in light of such natural disasters. “I wouldn’t say I was surprised that Israel needs a lot of help. I would say that Israel has a lot of friends that were willing to help. What I see is that if all your people volunteered – and flying overheard, I’ve seen thousands helping to fight the fire.– I think you are well equipped as a country. But still, nobody can expect a fire of this size in a country like this.”
He added, “You see people who pass you in the hotel and say thank you. It’s real gratitude that comes from the heart.”