Israel's humanitarian effort in Venezuela showcases national character - editorial

In the aftermath of powerful earthquakes, Israel's assistance teams reflect the longstanding values of the Jewish state.

Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodriguez expressed appreciation to Israel this week for deploying a team of expert professionals after the recent earthquakes hit the country. She noted that Venezuela's Jewish community helped establish ties with the Israeli government, enabling the group to evaluate damaged structures for possible survivors and recover any remains.

The earthquakes of June 24 have claimed 3,535 lives so far, injured 16,740 people, and left 17,854 without homes.

Israel mobilized swiftly, as the Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry, KKL-JNF, SID Israel, and groups like IsraAID dispatched teams within days of the disaster.

The specialized unit referenced by the acting president consisted of a 30-member IDF group under Brig.-Gen. Elad Edri, invited by Venezuela for engineering evaluations. Israeli specialists started assessing around 1,300 affected buildings to decide which ones required demolition or could be repaired. They offered guidance on handling rubble for potential reuse in new projects and contributed ideas for a long-term strategy to survey and reconstruct the impacted zones.

This approach illustrates Israel's typical response and the reasons the nation often inspires pride. It dispatches physicians, engineers, search-and-rescue personnel, and disaster specialists to locations where individuals are trapped, hurt, lost, or mourning. Such actions stem from the belief that every life holds value, that expertise brings ethical duties not all nations can meet, and that the Jewish state has absorbed hard lessons about the need for rapid response when time and buildings determine survival.

'Assistance does not require prior friendship with Israel'

The situation in Venezuela gains clarity against the backdrop of past diplomatic ties. The key point is that friendship with Israel is not a prerequisite for receiving its support.

For twenty years, Venezuelan leaders made anti-Israel stances a standard political tool. Former president Hugo Chavez harshly criticized Israel in 2006 during the Lebanon conflict, likening its actions to a new Holocaust.

In August 2006, Chavez called for Israeli officials to stand trial for genocide, claiming the Jewish state had acted in ways comparable to or exceeding Nazi conduct.

In 2008, amid tensions between Colombia and Ecuador, Chavez labeled the Colombian government the Israel of Latin America.

In 2009, Venezuela expelled Israel's ambassador and severed ties during the Israel-Hamas conflict. The following year, Chavez accused Israel and the Mossad of conspiring against him while branding Israel a terrorist state.

Under Chavez, Caracas strengthened links with Iran. His successor, Nicolas Maduro, saw Venezuela and Iran agree to a 20-year cooperation framework in 2022, uniting two sanctioned nations across economic, energy, aviation, technology, and anti-Western political fronts.

No need exists to overlook these events or equate aid with political amnesia. Israel bears no duty to disregard past condemnations, alliances with its adversaries, or the spread of hostile language against it.

Israel's character shines through despite history

Yet Israel's true strength lies in recalling these facts while still providing help.

Welcomed by local Jewish residents and recognized by the interim president, the presence of Israeli personnel in Venezuela highlights a reality that counters common stereotypes. The nation frequently accused of harshness instead sends specialists to preserve lives and restore housing, even for those lacking diplomatic bonds.

Israel's impulse to assist forms a core part of its national identity.

This does not imply Venezuela will alter its foreign policy. It does mean the Venezuelan people have witnessed Israelis working steadily on the ground since the quakes struck.

Because Israel arrives promptly, even its strongest opponents find themselves offering thanks.