Israel – leading the way in humanitarian aid

Since her beginnings in 1948, Israel has been steadfast in embracing the Jewish principle of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world. Over the years, Israel has extended international humanitarian aid to more than 140 countries, even to those who do not maintain diplomatic relations with her. Response teams include medics, doctors, search and rescue teams and post trauma experts. Israel is often among the first to arrive following a disaster.

Isaiah 1:16-17 sums it up: “Devote yourself to justice, aid the wronged, uphold the rights of the orphan, defend the cause of the widow.” These values permeate the heart and soul of Israel, a nation that is tireless in transporting tikkun olam to nations in need.

MASHAV
» Established in 1958 following the first visit of Golda Meir to Africa.
» Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.
» Responsible for Israel’s official humanitarian assistance programme.
» Assists countries trying to alleviate global problems of hunger, disease and poverty.
» Provides technical training and shares technology to improve quality of life.
» Training courses have positively impacted the lives of millions of people living in poor nations.
» Since 1959, MASHAV has been sending Israeli eye-doctors to countries throughout the developing world to treat preventable blindness and ocular disease.

lsraAID
» Founded in 2001.
» An umbrella organisation of more than 35 Israeli and Jewish non-governmental organisations and individuals.
» Focuses on disasters and long-term support and since its establishment has been on the ground in nearly every major humanitarian crisis in the 21st century.

The Fast Israeli Rescue and Search Team (FIRST)
» Israeli NGO that sends search and rescue teams to disaster zones around the world.

Israeli Flying Aid (IFI)
» NGO that provides life-saving aid to people affected by natural and manmade disasters worldwide.

Save a Child’s Heart (SACH)
» Israeli-based humanitarian charity.
» Provides life-saving paediatric heart surgery and follow-up care for children from developing countries, regardless of their religion or nationality.
» Countries include China, Congo, Ecuador, Angola, Ethiopia. Eritrea, Rwanda, Iraq, Jordan, Russia, Sri Lanka and Ukraine as well as to children in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority.
» Sends medical teams to partner sites around the world in order to diagnose, teach and perform heart treatments.
» Trains medical personnel from partner sites worldwide in all facets of paediatric cardiac care. Founded in 1995 and to date has saved the lives of more than 5,300 children from 62 countries.

LATET (Hebrew for ‘to give’)
» An Israeli NGO that was established in 1996 and is devoted to assisting populations in need in Israel and around the world on a universal and equal basis.

OPERATION GOOD NEIGHBOUR
» Founded in 2016 with the Northern Command’s Division 210 of the Israel Defence Forces being responsible for civilian aid to Syrian citizens who have been affected by the Syrian Civil War.
» Has carried out over 100 types of aid operations. The goal of Operation Good Neighbour is to provide humanitarian aid to as many people as possible while maintaining Israel’s policy of non-involvement in the conflict.

Aid was given in 3 ways:
» Medical – treatment of Syrian citizens in Israeli hospitals, transfers of medicine and medical supplies/equipment and helping to establish medical centres.
» Infrastructure – transfer of 450,000 litres of fuel, transfer of 7 generators and helping to rebuild Syrian infrastructure.
» Civil assistance – transfer of 225 tons of food, 40 tons of flour to bakeries, 55 tons of clothing, 12 tons of shoes and thousands of packages of baby products.

ISRAEL HAS PROVIDED VITAL HUMANITARIAN AID AND RELIEF TO OVER 140 COUNTRIES INCLUDING:
» Mexico Earthquakes 1985
» Armenia Earthquake 1988
» Argentina Terrorism 1992
» Rwanda Civil War 1994
» Turkey Fire 1997
» Central America Floods 1998
» Kenya Terrorism 1998
» Kosovo War Refugees 1999
» Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami 2004
» Hurricane Katrina 2005
» Burkina Faso Floods 2009
» Philippines Typhoons 2009 and 2013
» Haiti Earthquake 2010
» Turkey Earthquake 2011
» Japan Tsunami, Earthquake and Flooding 2011 and 2018
» Balkans Floods 2014
» Middle East Migrant Crisis 2015
» Nepal earthquake 2015
» United Kingdom Floods 2016
» Japan Earthquakes 2016
» Ecuador Earthquakes 2016
» Louisiana Flooding 2016
» Italy Earthquake 2016
» Haiti Hurricane 2016
» Sri Lanka Flooding 2017
» Montenegro Fires 2017
» Sierra Leone Mudslides 2017
» Texas Hurricane 2017
» Mexico Earthquake 2017
» Southern India Flooding 2018
» Indonesia Tsunami 2018
» Brazil Dam Collapse 2019

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