Israel Aids Kosovo Refugees

It has become increasingly difficult to separate political-military opinions about the war in Yugoslavia from humanitarian concerns about the refugees. Israel has succeeded. Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon expressed reservations about NATO air strikes and the future of Kosovo, incurring the public wrath of the State Department. But it was also Mr. Sharon who said, “Israel is always prepared to extend humanitarian aid to innocent refugees. This is the moral responsibility of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.” And it is Mr.

It has become increasingly difficult to separate political-military opinions about the war in Yugoslavia from humanitarian concerns about the refugees. Israel has succeeded. Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon expressed reservations about NATO air strikes and the future of Kosovo, incurring the public wrath of the State Department. But it was also Mr. Sharon who said, “Israel is always prepared to extend humanitarian aid to innocent refugees. This is the moral responsibility of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.” And it is Mr. Sharon’s Foreign Ministry that has coordinated Israel’s Kosovo relief effort. The following information was supplied by the Israeli government and news sources:

April 9: Israel mobilized an IDF medical team to the region comprised of 70 soldiers, including 12 physicians, many of whom are specialists in infectious diseases and are veterans of previous IDF humanitarian missions – including in Rwanda and Kenya. The mission set up the first field hospital in Macedonia, treating basic needs, general trauma, and orthopedic and obstetrical cases, and sent teams to Albania as well. The Albanian government has commended the Government of Israel for its aid.

April 12: By this date, Israel had airlifted approximately $630,000 worth of emergency aid to the refugees. The shipments, organized by the Foreign Ministry, included medicine, medical equipment, jackets, tents and blankets delivered by the IDF. The planes also carried 20 tons of food, including powdered baby formula, bottled water and sterilized milk – with another 80 tons planned.

Private citizens have been working as well. More than 15,000 Israelis contributed blankets and cash gifts – the preferred form of aid because it allows the relief agencies to purchase the most desperately needed items. About $500,000 was raised by individuals – even before a concert sponsored by IDF Radio, the Tel Aviv Municipality and the Jewish Agency raised another $620,000. [Note: Israel’s population is approximately 6 million, including Israeli Arab citizens, excluding the residents of the territories under Palestinian Authority. A similar dollar-to-population giving ratio in the U.S. would net about $50,400,000 in private contributions.]

April 13: Israel welcomed 100 Kosovar refugees, an initiative coordinated by Israel’s Foreign Ministry and the Jewish Agency. The Macedonian authorities along with representatives of the UN High Commission on Refugees embraced the Israeli initiative. The first 17 families were received shortly before the start of Holocaust Remembrance Day. Meanwhile, a group of 80 Jews ages 16-25 that fled Kosovo is expected in Israel.