24/05/2019 (Agence Europe) – The European Union is helping Israel to fight forest fires caused by a heat wave, the European Commission announced on Friday 24 May. Four aircraft have already been made available, two by Cyprus and two by Italy. The equipment was dispatched on Friday. This is a response to the request for assistance submitted the previous day by the Israeli authorities to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. In a statement, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, thanked Cyprus and Italy for their “tangible solidarity” and announced that the EU is “ready to provide further assistance”. The Commission's 24/7 Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) ensures that needs are matched to offers of assistance. (AN)