“This should be our eternal declaration, that we, the Children of Israel, who believe in the sanctity of life, do not distinguish between blood and blood. We treat all people as those who were created in the image of God, even if we are talking about enemies.” -Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef.
Israel won’t give an inch when it comes to defending against the state’s enemies. Every shot from Syria that crosses the border is met with a far stronger Israeli military response.
But Israel also won’t sit idly by while its enemies suffer.
Syria has openly declared itself an enemy of Israel. Dictator Bashar Assad even took the time to reiterate as much last week, despite the fact he’s got far bigger problems at the moment.
The people of Syria have been raised on hatred of Israel. They view the Jewish state as their chief foe, regardless of what other calamities they may currently be facing.
But Israel won’t let that stop it from trying to help those Syrians ravaged by their country’s ongoing civil war.
Already Israel has treated thousands of civilians from southern Syria at an IDF field hospital on the Golan Heights and at medical centers across northern Israel.
At the moment, it’s the population of the northern Syria city of Aleppo that is most in need. Being so far from the border with Israel, however, it’s difficult for the Jewish state to provide aid.
Israel’s ambassador to Turkey, Eitan Na’eh, told Israel Radio on Wednesday that the government is looking for other ways to help.
“Everyone who sees the images from Syria, and especially from Aleppo, cannot but be shocked by the suffering of the civilians, and try to do what is possible to ease their suffering,” he said.
One idea is that wounded from Aleppo will be brought to neighboring Turkey, and from there transported to Israel for advanced treatment.
“We are prepared to take in wounded women and children, and also men if they are not combatants—bring them to Israel, take care of them in our hospitals as we have done with thousands of Syrian civilians,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement released this week.
Another proposal is for Israel to provide funding, equipment and supplies to other aid organizations operating in the area.
In a letter to Netanyahu, Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef offered to coordinate directly with the Red Cross to bring Israeli assistance to the people of Aleppo.
Yosef closed his letter with a powerful statement that demonstrated how Israel may, ironically, be the nation that most adheres to Jesus’ teaching to love your enemies:
“This should be our eternal declaration, that we, the Children of Israel, who believe in the sanctity of life, do not distinguish between blood and blood. We treat all people as those who were created in the image of God, even if we are talking about enemies.”
