TEL AVIV – A clandestine Israeli initiative has gathered over a hundred tons of winter supplies bound for Syrian refugees who have no idea that the donations come from the so-called enemy state next door.
Identifying tags and Hebrew logos have been removed from 3,000 boxes of blankets, coats, sleeping bags, gloves and boots in order “to protect the effort and the recipients,” a statement from the organizers of “Operation Human Warmth” said.
Jointly organized by Zionist youth movement HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed, Dror Israel and the Combat Genocide Association, the supplies will be handed over to another aid organization that will distribute the items to the refugees. The sensitive nature of the mission means the exact date and method of delivery have not been revealed.
Gilad Perry, Dror Israel’s international collaborations director, said he was moved by the amount of Israelis – Jewish, Arab and Druze – who came together for the operation.
“I thought people would be reluctant to support an effort they would not get credit for,” Perry said. “I was amazed to see how wrong I was. The generosity of people just caring for those who suffer from the cold winter on the other side of the border, in an ‘enemy country,’ overwhelmed me.”
“The most moving part of the operation for me is to see thousands of Israelis from different religions join forces in a humanistic effort, emphasizing the similarities in the core values of all of us who simply try to make good on this planet, no matter what our backgrounds may be,” Perry added.
Last month, Breitbart Jerusalem reported that Israel is set to absorb more than 100 Syrian child refugees who have been orphaned as a result of the civil war.
Over 2,500 Syrians have been treated in Israeli hospitals since 2013, even though Syria and Israel have officially been in a state of war since 1948.