January 21, 2005/Shevat 11 5765, Vol. 57, No. 21
After the tsunamiERAN LERMANThe responses of Israeli society, as well as of American and world Jewry, to the terrible scenes emanating from the Indian Ocean basin were quick and impressive. Within 24 hours, a major Israeli Defense Forces team was ready to go to Sri Lanka. It should be made very clear, despite various media misrepresentations, that the government in Colombo declined this initial offer not because of political considerations. They were simply overwhelmed.Since then, both governmental and nongovernmental missions have been established there, and field kitchens are deployed in the southeast and are now serving half a dozen small refugee camps. Magen David Adom personnel, in close cooperation with their counterparts in the International Red Cross, are expanding their operations in Sri Lanka, as are other Israeli charities that dispatched food and supplies. More interesting is the new interaction with Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, and for many years, one quite reticent about its relations with Israel. Now, with the express sanction of the president himself, El Al flights bearing supplies are allowed to land. As for Thailand, Israeli forensic teams worked side by side with ZAKA volunteers and located five of the seven Israelis lost. The Israeli teams also lent their expertise to other countries. India responded in a similar fashion, proud of her ability as a regional superpower to deal with the challenge. Requests for specific projects may come later, as they did from the Maldive Islands, where loss of life was limited but material damage quite extensive. These tragic events proved that what Israel can do best is respond quickly and effectively, assess the situation on the ground (often sustained by instincts bred by military service), and go where help is needed. In discussions between Israeli aid groups, several ideas have emerged as to lessons learned and next steps:
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