Israeli Relief Efforts

Sadly the liberal media views Israel negatively and rarely reports anything positive about that country. However, one bit of favorable news managed to make it through the media news filter, and it had to do with Haiti relief.

While the U.N. (typically incompetent), the U.S. (maybe still hasn’t learned the lessons of Katrina), and other countries were struggling to get aid workers, water, food, doctors, medical supplies and other much-needed help to Port-au-Prince and outlying areas, Israel flew in and set up several field hospitals that were operational within 48 hours of the earthquake. These hospitals were adequately staffed, and had state-of-the-art equipment. It’s unfortunate that this wasn’t more widely reported, because it does show the Israelis to be “good guys” willing to travel roughly 4,000 miles or so to help in the relief effort. How many other countries in the oil-rich Middle East helped to such an extent?

Another country that rose to the occasion was the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. Within hours of the earthquake, the DR was mobilizing to help. Victims from Haiti were being treated in DR hospitals, and truckloads of supplies were on their way across the border. Why didn’t the media pick up on this? We thank God for the Israelis and the Dominicans for jobs well done under the most difficult of circumstances.

We thank God also for the Christian and secular agencies that are helping and will most likely be in Haiti for many years to come: the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, World Vision, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), and many, many others. May God provide them with the resources and the fortitude to do what needs to be done.