Despite no diplomatic relations between Israel and Venezuela, a delegation from the Home Front Command will depart on Tuesday to assist in rescue efforts following last week's devastating earthquake. The mission was coordinated by the National Security Council and includes engineering specialists from the Home Front Command and Foreign Ministry representatives.
A Home Front Command delegation will depart for Venezuela on Tuesday, June 30, to assist in rescue and recovery efforts following last week's catastrophic earthquakes. The decision was announced Monday evening (Mon 22:18 Jerusalem) in a coordinated series of reports — first by journalist Tomer Almagor (N12), then by the Foreign Ministry — confirming the departure despite the absence of diplomatic relations between Israel and Venezuela since 2009. The delegation includes engineering specialists from the Home Front Command and representatives from the Foreign Ministry, following a coordination review by the National Security Council (NSC).
The announcement came in a rapid sequence Monday evening. At 22:18 Jerusalem, The Zioneer published multiple updates: initial reports cited Almagor that the delegation would go despite no diplomatic ties; the Foreign Ministry then confirmed the mission, noting it was directed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, and that it includes a joint team of IDF, Home Front Command, and diplomatic staff led by Brig. Gen. Elad Adari and Ambassador Yoed Magen. The NSC completed its coordination review for the engineering and diplomatic delegation, according to the same thread. Earlier Monday, at 14:25 Jerusalem, The Zioneer had reported that a separate 16-person team from Israeli NGOs — Magen, Ready for Rescue, and SmartAID — had already landed in Venezuela and was operating in Valencia and La Guaira.
As The Zioneer reported over the weekend, the international rescue effort in Venezuela has swelled to at least 16 nations, with the EU activating its civil protection mechanism and sending over 520 rescuers. The death toll crossed 1,400 as of Friday, June 26, with up to 55,000 feared dead. By Monday evening, the UN was reportedly preparing for up to 10,000 fatalities, with the number of missing climbing to approximately 46,000.
What remains open: The precise departure time of the delegation on Tuesday has not been confirmed. The exact scope of the team's operations upon arrival — including which specific rescue zones or facilities it will operate in — has not been detailed.
7 developments
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