IDF makes Home Front Command history in Venezuela
Israeli officials say the mission's continued presence, even after most international teams have departed, has added significant value to the effort
Approximately 32 Israeli experts are supporting Venezuelan authorities in the transition to the rehabilitation phase, the IDF said, describing it as the longest humanitarian assistance mission in the history of the Home Front Command. Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yossi Pinto, commander of the National Search and Rescue Unit and head of the emergency mission to Venezuela, said the team is currently operating in the area of greatest destruction in La Guaira, near Caracas, where the coastline has sustained extensive damage and hundreds of buildings have been destroyed.
Pinto called it a complex and large-scale disaster.
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He said the mission is now in the beginning of its third week. Israeli experts are helping develop a national situational assessment, supporting decision-making processes, setting priorities and laying the groundwork for long-term rehabilitation, a phase which will continue for months and even years. The team is working in close cooperation with local authorities, who were described as highly receptive to the recommendations and insights being offered.
"Our goal is to provide them with the best professional tools available to help them address the complex challenges ahead," Pinto said, noting that the Israeli mission's continued presence, even after most international missions have already left, adds significant value to the overall effort.