Netanyahu Has Stepped Up to the Plate on Quake Relief

Immediately after the initial quake that is devastating Turkey and Syria, an urgent request for help was sent out from Turkish leadership to Israeli leadership. Literally, a few short seconds later, a legion of the most experienced and successful rescue operators in the world was wheels up and on its way.

When disaster strikes, Israel is ready.

They sent medical teams. Multiple teams of Israelis, a group of over 300 experts, are on the ground in Turkey. Two complete field hospitals with surgical wards, doctors, surgeons, laboratories, dental facilities, intensive care units — everything needed for a full level 5 trauma center was sent. Everything that would help save lives.

They sent search and rescue teams. These teams include on-site rescuers who know how to dig, dog teams and drone operators.

They sent humanitarian aid workers. Translators, social workers, psychologists, professionals who can help deal with the emotional trauma of heart-wrenching disasters.

And they sent a unit of satellite mappers. New to this rescue legion, the satellite mappers are part of IDF Intel Unit 9900.

Traditionally employed to translate satellite images for specials operations teams searching for terrorists, in Turkey they are using their technology and skills to identify living bodies buried in the rubble of destroyed buildings. As of this writing, this new technology has saved several dozen people.

Time is running out. After a certain point, the search will transition to those who lost their lives in this quake and in its aftershocks.

Over the past 70 years, Israel has developed — and perfected — their life saving techniques. For the Jewish State, it was an issue of necessity. More than that, it was about morality. And it was about ethics.

From its inception, from the time of the creation of the State, Israel has been faced with the awful reality of wars and of terror. With war and with terror comes devastation and damage.

Because of the nature of the terror attacks that strike Israel, attacks that choose civilians as targets, Israel has developed an expertise in rescue missions. These skills that Israel honed have been tweeked to assist with natural disasters — within their own borders and within the borders of countries worldwide.

As far back as 1953, when the State of Israel was a fledgling 5 years old, and when Greece experienced an earthquake, rescue teams were sent to help. The list has since grown.

Mexico, Armenia, Greece, Turkey, India, Sri Lanka, Haiti, Nepal, Kenya, Armenia, Romania, Central America, Kosovo, Croatia, Hurricane Katrina, Burkina, Haiti, Japan Tsunami, Philippines Typhoons, Balkans, Chad, Argentina, The Congo, Macedonia, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Columbia, Bulgaria, Ghana, Brazil, Albania. Honduras. Equatorial Guinea, Ukraine and of course Surfside Miami, Florida, where Israel was front and center in the rescue.

Not all the countries Israel helps are her friends. In fact, some are her sworn enemies. Syria is not on the list, although on numerous occasions, Israel has helped the Syrians with equipment — with tools and resources sent by way of third parties, not with personnel, just as is happening now.

But when tragedy has struck close to the Syrian/Israeli border, however, Israeli medical teams have crossed into enemy territory to provide aid and sometimes, even to extract the Syrian wounded by vehicle or by helicopter, airlifting them to trauma hospitals.

Israel cannot, does not, stand on the sidelines when disaster strikes, That is not the Jewish way. Israel cannot, will not, stand quietly and watch innocent people die. That is not the Jewish way.

Israel helps others in need. That is the Jewish way.

The Talmud records an important lesson. The rabbis teach us that for anyone who saves even a single life, it is as if that person saved the entire world. The lesson was learned long ago, and it is still front and center in the hearts and souls of Israel as a country and Israelis as a people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the head of the team and gave him a blessing. And then Netanyahu told him that he was showing the beautiful, the wonderful face of Israel to the world.

No other country in the world can offer this kind of rescue service, on this level. Even if they could, I am not too certain that they would.