Israel's humanitarian delegation meets with Venezuela's interim president, extends mission
At the request of Venezuela's interim president Rodriguez, and with the agreement of Israeli PM Netanyahu, the Israeli aid mission will remain in Venezuela for two additional weeks
Israel agreed to extend its humanitarian mission in Venezuela by an additional two weeks after Interim President Delcy Rodríguez formally requested that the delegation remain to assist with ongoing recovery and reconstruction efforts.
The request was made during a direct conversation between Rodríguez and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, ahead of a meeting Tuesday evening in Caracas between the Israeli delegation and the Venezuelan leader.
Following the request, Prime Minister Netanyahu, in coordination with Sa'ar, approved the extension of the mission, according to Israeli officials.
The delegation, made up of experts from Israel's Foreign Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), was initially deployed to provide emergency humanitarian assistance. During the extended stay, the team will begin implementing a national reconstruction plan developed by Israeli specialists to support Venezuela's recovery efforts.
The meeting between the Israeli delegation and Rodríguez is notable given that Israel and Venezuela do not maintain formal diplomatic relations. Despite the absence of official ties, both sides have continued to coordinate humanitarian assistance in the wake of the recent crisis.
Israeli officials said the mission underscores Israel's commitment to providing humanitarian aid and technical expertise to countries facing emergencies, regardless of diplomatic relations.