Israel Active

Two Druze brothers from Daliat al-Carmel in the Haifa District are spearheading the IDF’s battle against the coronavirus pandemic in the Arab sector. Col. (res.) Saleem Wahaby is directives instructor and his brother, Maj. (res.) Zohar is liaison commander.

The first Israel-trained ultra-Orthodox doctor Dr Yehuda Sabiner, has begun his internship in the Coronavirus ward at Sheba hospital.  Dr Sabiner also helped initiate a Rabbinic proclamation ordering Haredi communities to observe the coronavirus lockdown.

Israeli businessmen have donated millions to Israeli organizations to help them save lives. E.g. NIS 10 million from businessmen Eyal Offer and $3 million from Yuri Milner to Sourasky, Sheba, Rambam, MDA, TAU and Leket. Meanwhile Israelis donated over NIS 1 million to 4-year-old orphaned twins.

Israeli doctor Carmi Sheffer is on the front line of treating coronavirus patients at the University Hospital of Padua in Italy. When he returns to Israel, his knowledge will help save Israelis as well. It includes using scuba masks attached to ventilators and patients lying on their side.

Italy’s Health Ministry has requested and has been given permission to use Israeli Health Ministry's "infection chain" publicity video. Georgia and Ukraine also were given permission to broadcast the video in their countries. It has been shown in Israel in 4 languages.

Israel’s Shemuel Levinger and Israeli friends in the US are launching COVUNITY. The App tracks coronavirus cases, supplying crucial data to US authorities and its citizens to help them fight the outbreak.

Israeli humanitarian aid organization IsraAID is helping volunteers and medics responding to the coronavirus crisis in Italy. Working remotely with the Jewish community in Rome, they have built webinars on stress management, psychological first aid and community resilience.

The Israeli Government sent more medical equipment to the Palestinian Authority. They also sent respirators to Jerusalem’s Arab hospitals. 3,000 COVID-19 test kits and 50,000 masks came from the World Health Organization for medical teams working in the PA territories.

Some 200 Arab-Israeli students studying in Jordan were able to return to Israel thanks to the Israeli Embassy in Jordan and the Foreign Affairs Ministry.  Jordan had closed its borders but approved Israel’s request to make a humanitarian exception for the students.

Two of Israel’s health companies Clalit and Leumit are testing for coronavirus in Arab cities e.g. Nazareth and Umm al-Fahm, plus Shuafat and Beit Safafa in Jerusalem. A mobile testing facility is visiting Arab villages, to make testing more accessible in Arab communities.