Well, Don't Ask US for Help!

I'm often proud of the amazing extent to which Israel will go to help others. In far away lands, in harsh conditions - against fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, collapsed buildings, and even after terrorist attacks (as if we don't have enough of that here), Israeli teams fly off, often at a moment's notice, to help others. Children (and adults) from all over the world come to Israel regularly for operations that save and improve their lives.

Luckily though, some rational element of our psyche steps in and says - enough. We offered help to Iran after a bad earthquake. They declined the offer. We offered help to several countries in the Far East after the tsunami, some took our help and lives were saved; others stood on pride.

But this latest news item surely is an example of where the other party should NOT be requesting our help:

From YNET:

A huge blast late Wednesday rocked a training base run by Hamas in southern Gaza, and at least five people were hurt, witnesses and a health official said.

Hamas' military wing has dispatched earthmovers to the scene of Tuesday's explosion near Khan Younis, fearing people may be trapped under the debris. Six people were wounded in the explosion that rocked a Hamas training camp, which was apparently the result of ammunition stores being detonated.

As we say in Israel, "gvul" - beyond this, we won't go and no, we won't offer to help.