Sunday, December 5, 2010

Amos Regev/ Netanyahu stood the test of fire - Netanyahu made the right decisions as he took command of disaster

(Amos Regev-Yisrael Hayom, translated by google).Unlike Bush at Katrina, Obama at Gulf oil spill, Benjamin Netanyahu acted well, as he took over management of the crisis

The First to understand the quantum leap of this disaster was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In retrospect, this may seem obvious. But on Thursday afternoon there was needed a right battle cry to understand the situation, and make the right decision to focus primarily: to save lives here, and to ask for assistance from the world. Understand that the war on fire, more than it is on the ground - will be decided from the air, using Water jets.

There is no depreciation of national honor to ask for help in state of a natural disaster, It is customary, this is acceptable, it is humanitarian. For 62 years, Israel enjoyed the privilege be asked to help others, This time, the others came to help us. The Prime Minister's personal ties with several world leaders, including the Prime Minister of Greece, certainly could not hurt, But will go down to the fact that on Thursday he just did the right thing: took charge, showing the direction.

Our disaster should be put in perspective, In California huge fires break out every summer, where, with a large fleet of water aircraft's , they run rampant for two weeks - three, and reach almost always, the prestigious neighborhoods next to the beach, In Australia huge fires break out every summer, and there, with aircraft's and firefighter teams - the fire still reaches the cities. These are the force of nature: It is hard to deal with them, even with the best technology.

So, on Thursday, there was the need to do a quick assessment, make the right decisions, And it was done: no matter whoever claims about Israel's diplomatic global isolation - the world stands with us, When such a disaster takes place this size, you do not deal with poor grammar. Regardless of the fire equipment shortages - organizing was also done with the proceedings on the ground.

Remember for a moment what happened here during the Second Lebanon War: while IDF forces were complicated in an unsuccessful battle especially between the "nature reserves" of Hezbollah, the Israeli home front suffered a barrage of rockets - and the central government's hand disappeared. "Administrative vacuum", called it a inquiry commission of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. In the face of the current disaster in Caramel, despite the bad start, and despite the hard feeling over the tragic deaths of more than 40 people - order was settled immediately, instructions were given and Thousands were evacuated from their homes, Nothing stopped from operating.

As to managing the crisis that erupted suddenly, sometimes the truth is an option, even if some media outlets will not like it - Former President Bush was wrong when did not stabilize his command post as soon as the disaster hurricane Katrina took place, which destroyed New Orleans, President Barack Obama was wrong when it took him over a month to take command treating the gulf oil spill, the reins once the disaster treatment oil stain. Prime Minister Netanyahu did the right move when he flew straight up to Haifa with a helicopter to take command of the situation, In Israel's Worst natural disaster on his watch, he took command, and stood the test of his first real fire - with respect.