Palestine gets snubbed with a "footnote" thank you from Israel

posted on: Dec 1, 2016

BY: Adriana Murray/Contributing Writer and Nisreen Eadeh/Staff Writer

The Israel Embassy in the U.S. posted a thank you message on Friday to all the countries that helped Israel fight fires that burned throughout Israel last week. For days, fires from Jerusalem to Haifa were burning down infrastructure, displacing families, and injuring hundreds of Israelis. It appears negligence and unseasonably dry and windy weather caused the fires that quickly spread across the countryside.

Palestine was one of many countries that provided assistance to Israel. Although Palestine and Israel have their differences, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas acted without hesitation, sending 8 fire trucks and 40 firemen to Haifa. There have been several pictures of the Palestinian Civil Defense assisting in putting out fires, but it doesn’t look like Israel saw them.

In pictures: Palestinian Civil Defense assists in putting out fires in Haifa, … –#PA #CivilDefence #IOF _Fire
https://t.co/HRPBYGarBV

— Marsad – Palestine (@MarsadPalestine) November 28, 2016

After the fires were contained, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a special thank you info-graphic on Facebook. The info-graphic contained images of small planes with the flag of the countries that assisted Israel during the fires, as well as the countries that offered to help. The graphic reads: “Israel is thankful for all the support and assistance from around the world!” Countries thanked by Israel include the U.S., Greece, Russia, France, Italy, Ukraine, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and others. Left off the “thank you” note was Palestine and the Palestinian flag.

In barely noticeable small print at the bottom right corner of the image are the words, “Ground assistance received also from the Palestinian Authority.” Unlike the other countries that helped, Palestine received a “snubbed” thank you. Commenters on Israel’s Facebook post said the country showed a lack of decency and respect with the snubbed thank you to Palestine. Others didn’t even notice the footnote thank you on the image.

According to +972 Mag, Netanyahu made a personal phone call to Abbas, thanking him for Palestine’s contributions, but they were not given the same credit as everyone else. The Palestinian Authority set aside differences to address an emergency situation, and yet those who benefit from their service still do not acknowledge the Palestinian identity.