Head of MASHAV, Ambassador Gil Haskel: “I'm proud to say that the State of Israel is at the forefront of providing international immediate response strengthening its commitment as a member of the family of nations. We have done so in the past, we are doing it today, and we will do it whenever and wherever our assistance is needed.”
Humanitarian assistance from Israel arrives in the field The international community today (August 19) marks World Humanitarian Day, this year under the theme of “Inspiring the World’s Humanity.” In the words of the UN’s Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, “each of us has the power and responsibility to inspire our fellow human beings to act to help others and create a more humane world.”
This approach is and has been an integral part of the vision of the State of Israel of offering a helping hand to all human beings and nations in need, and a manifestation of the very deep Jewish traditional ideological ideal of "Tikun Olam" – healing the world – without prejudice of race or religion.
Regardless of Israel's own internal and regional challenges, at a time of any humanitarian crisis in any corner of our globe, you will most probably find Israeli humanitarian relief teams amongst the first on site.
In the words of David Ben-Gurion, the founder and first Prime Minister of Israel: "...The principles of mutual assistance and equality should also constitute the basis for international relations between people... [and] must be based on the solidarity of all human beings, derived from fraternity and mutual assistance in every sphere of life…”
MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is the body responsible for coordinating the State of Israel’s official humanitarian assistance program. Drawing on Israel’s vast experience in crisis response and field medicine, we rapidly organize and dispatch much needed supplies, medicines and urgent medical assistance.
Along the years, Israel has sent humanitarian relief and assistance to more than 140 countries, saving a great number of lives – from newborns to the helpless elderly.
Looking back at the last 12 months alone, may indicate the scope of Israel's activities:
Last October, the State of Israel, through MASHAV, joined the international community in responding to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in western African countries, by launching “Operation Hospitals of Hope”, which included dispatching and setting up three fully equipped emergency mobile-clinics in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Conakry, amongst other relief and capacity building activities. Alongside with Israel's financial contributions, the State of Israel became the largest donor per capita to the Ebola Response efforts.
Following the devastating earthquake which struck Nepal in April, Israel provided immediate response dispatching a 260-member disaster team of the IDF (Israel’s Defense Forces) including Israel's top specialists for traumatic injuries, and setting up a field hospital near Kathmandu equipped with x-rays, laboratories and operating rooms, with the ability to receive and provide care for around 200 patients a day.
In recent months, MASHAV offered emergency aid to victims of severe floods in Serbia and Bosnia; assistance to Chile and Paraguay following heavy rains and mudslides; delivered over 100,000 life-saving concentrated food rations to Madagascar to fight malnutrition of over 10,000 children in the drought-stricken southern region; donated two skin graft meshers to Taiwan to treat more than 400 victims who remain hospitalized following the severe water park explosion last June; and assisted the victims of the devastating torrential monsoon rains which triggered deadly floods and landslides affecting almost every state inMyanmar.
Responding to emergencies is only one aspect of humanitarian work. Israel supports communities’ efforts to rebuild their lives after disasters and to become more resilient to future crises.
In 1958, the State of Israel adopted its official humanitarian aid agenda as a principal element of the country's international cooperation efforts. As the Head of MASHAV, I'm proud to say that Israel is still at the forefront of providing immediate response in the wake of humanitarian crises, strengthening its commitment as a member of the family of nations. We have done so in the past, we are doing it today, and we will do it whenever and wherever our assistance is needed.