Israel and the earthquake in Turkey and Syria

Israel has begun to deliver humanitarian aid to the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and will soon deliver such aid to the victims of the earthquake in Syria as well. Israeli aid to Syria arouses great interest in the Arab world, Israeli intelligence monitors flights from Iran to Syria that deliver humanitarian aid for fear that weapons are being smuggled in.

The speed with which Israel has mobilized to provide humanitarian assistance to the victims of the earthquake disaster in Turkey and Syria once again emphasizes to the world the true face of Israel and the essence of the Jewish people.

Israel is a small country in the Middle East, but it extends its hand to help Turkey, with which it had a deep political crisis for a decade, and Syria, which is an  enemy country and a member of the axis of evil led by Iran .

The Jewish people is a merciful and forgiving people that preserves the values of morality and humanity, it has always been such a symbol and will remain so.

The Arab media are dealing extensively with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s announcement that Israel will deliver humanitarian aid to the victims of the earthquake in Syria after it made such a request to Israel through a third party.

Political officials in Jerusalem say that the request was forwarded to Israel by the Russians.
Netanyahu’s announcement embarrassed the Syrian regime which hastened to deny it, a Syrian official told the Syrian Alwatan newspaper, which is the regime’s mouthpiece , that Syria is not asking for aid from an occupying regime.

Several Arab countries, led by Qatar, started an air train to deliver aid to the victims of the earthquake in Turkey, but not to Syria, even though it was badly hit by the earthquake and has thousands of dead and injured and thousands more buried under the rubble.

Syria is isolated by several Arab countries because of the massacres committed by the Assad regime during the civil war and killed several hundred thousand citizens of his Sunni people.

Syria is also under a heavy economic blockade by the Biden administration and the European Union, which imposed severe sanctions on it that paralyze its economy. The people of Syria now see on the television screens the massive humanitarian aid that Arab countries provide to Turkey, but refrain from providing it to the Syrian people, while Israel, which is considered an enemy state, is ready to do so.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s announcement about the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria angers the Palestinians and some Arab commentators, they accuse Netanyahu of publishing a false announcement and that this is a cheap propaganda exercise.

They fear that this will help Israel integrate even more into the Middle East, increase the normalization process between Israel and the Arab countries and improve Israel’s image in the world.

Political officials in Jerusalem said that discussions are currently being held on how to deliver humanitarian aid to Syria, the aid will probably be delivered through the Russians, Israel will provide Syria with tents, blankets and generators, it will also probably open a field hospital in the north of the country to treat Syrian wounded.

Iran also opened an air train that delivers humanitarian aid by plane to the victims of the earthquake in Syria.

Israel fears that these flights will also be used to transfer advanced weapons to Syria which will then be transferred to the Hezbollah organization in Lebanon.

Israeli intelligence monitors the Iranian flights to Syria and the cargo that is transported on these flights, security officials say that if weapons were transported on them, Israel will know how to handle the issue.
Israel can be proud of the military and civilian delegations it sent to Turkey and the humanitarian aid it will deliver to Syria, this is how a sovereign and democratic country with high moral values should behave, the world is certainly looking and examining Israel.

Yoni Ben Menachem Senior Middle East Analyst

About Yoni Ben Menachem

Yoni Ben Menachem is a Middle East senior analyst ,a journalist and
the former CEO of the Israel Broadcasting Authority(IBA). He has
decades of experience in written and video journalism. Ben
Menachem’s path in the media world began as a producer for
Japanese television in the Middle East. After that, he held many key
positions in the media The Israeli: CEO of the Israel Broadcasting
Authority, director of “Kol Israel” Radio, reporter on West Bank and
Gaza Strip affairs, political reporter and commentator, commentator
on Middle East affairs and editor-in-chief and presenter of the
program “Middle East Magazine”. 

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