Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Friday extended Canada's sympathy and condolences for the loss of life in the fires which hit Israel.
Harper made the remarks during his talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who called earlier on the day.
Harper said that Canada would like to do everything possible to help Israel with this emergency and are prepared to offer any assistance required, including firefighting aircraft and personnel.
Lawrence Cannon, Canadian minister of foreign affairs, also offered his condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives and wish a quick recovery to those who were injured.
Cannon said that the government of Canada is working rapidly to identify Canadian assistance that could be provided to Israel to ensure the fire is extinguished as soon as possible.
"We stand with the people of Israel in this time of need,"he added."My thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible fire."
As of Friday, the death toll reached 42 during the fires which broke out along the Carmel mountain ridge overlooking northern Israel's Haifa and several small towns nearby, local media reported.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, however, police on Friday apprehended two 35-year-old men, residents of Daliat al-Carmel, a Druze town near Haifa, who were reportedly being seen throw Molotov cocktails in a forest on a Carmel hilltop.
Canada, which has enjoyed good relations for decades, lost to Portugal in a vote for a seat at the Security Council of the United Nations in past October. Several observers attributed this loss to the pro-Israel policy of Canada at the UN, including Canadian PM Stephen Harper.
Source: Xinhua
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