Just like a good neigbor. Israel and Syria.

“It’s strange for us that Israel is more humanitarian than our Arab brothers."
Ammar, father of two, from Syria

The 7 year old civil war in Syria has left nearly 500,000 people dead. 5.6 million have fled the country and over 600,000 are internally displaced. Despite being officially at war with Syria, Israel has provided hundreds of tons of food, medicine, clothing, gasoline and essential medical equipment to the war-ravaged Syrian people. It has also treated nearly 5,000 wounded Syrians in Israeli hospitals and clinics.

In the last week alone, Israel has provided 300 tents, 28 tons of food, three pallets of medical supplies and 30 tons of clothes and shoes to Syrians . The NGO Fly Aid provided the aid with an undercover unit of all Arabic speakers. The NGO has 3 units worldwide, and provides aid to countries that do not have diplomatic ties with Israel.

From the Independent:

Syria conflict: Injured civilians turn to historic foe Israel amid Deraa bloodshed

Despite being told there is no place for them in Israel, Syrian families camped close to the Israeli border say if it was permitted they would consider relocating to Israel, even after decades of fierce hostilities.

“Escaping the killing machine of Russia and the militia forces has made us think of allying with what we consider to be the devil. We all think about going to Israel but it is not allowed. Everyone is trying to escape death because the Jordanian border is blocked,” says Ammar, 27, a father-of-two who is in Rafid, on the border.

“It’s strange for us that Israel is more humanitarian than our Arab brothers. I once even heard people saying they hope that Israel would include this area in the Golan,” he adds.

Israel. Operation Good Neighbor. Tikkun Olam in action

Tikvah, the Zionist Group at UC Berkeley Fundraising for Victims of Syrian War.

According to the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, as of this week:

• The total number of victims documented by the Action Group is 3665, including 465 women
• 1672 Palestinians are locked up behind Syrian government’s bars, 106 of which are women
• Yarmouk refugee camp is under the Syrian regime army and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s siege for 1,691 days in a row
• 205 refugees, mainly in Yarmouk Camp, have died due to lack of medical care and malnutrition
• Water supplies have been cut off Deraa Camp for 1427 days, and 167 days in Yarmouk Camp
• The Regime army has been in control of Handarat camp for more than 522 days. More than 80% of its buildings have been completely or partially destroyed.
• Approximately 85 thousand Palestinian-Syrian refugees fled to Europe by the end of 2016
• 31 thousand refugees are located in Lebanon
• 17 thousand refugees are sheltered in Jordan
• 6 thousand refugees are in Egypt
• 8 thousand refugees are staying in Turkey
• One thousand refugees are present in Gaza

Yet the "human rights groups" that claim to care about the Palestinian people are strangely and uncharateristically silent when they can't hold Israel responsible for their suffering.

Real, tangible help instead comes from the last place you'd expect it- from Israel, a nation officially in a state of war with Syria.  

For over four years, the Israeli Defence Forces has been helping injured Syrians who cross Israel’s northern border, and has been supplying Syrian civilians with food, fuel and household necessities.

From The IDF Operation Good Neighbor website: 

The IDF primarily provides 3 types of assistance as part of Operation Good Neighbor:

1. Medical –  Over 4,000 people have been brought to Israel to receive treatment, including hundreds of children. The IDF also transfers medicine, supplies, and equipment to Syrians across the border. An internationally managed field hospital has also been established at an Israeli outpost near the border.

2. Infrastructure – 450,000 liters of fuel have been transferred for heating, operating water wells, and ovens in bakeries. The IDF also transferred seven generators, water pipes to rebuild Syrian infrastructure, and equipment for a temporary school in the region.

3. Civilian aid – The IDF transferred 40 tons of flour to bakeries, 225 tons of food, 12,000 packages of baby formula, 1,800 packages of diapers, 12 tons of shoes, and 55 tons of cold weather clothing.

UC Berkeley's Tikvah Students for Israel is doing their part as well. On Monday, the Zionist  group will be fundraising  to help support Operation Good Neighbor.  Stop by and help them out.  Their table will be at Sproul Plaza from 11-2.

UPDATE:  Rain Date will be Friday, March 16.  See you there!