Israeli aid team in Venezuela assessing quake-damaged buildings, not conducting rescues

Israel’s aid delegation to Venezuela, sent in the aftermath of the deadly earthquakes there, is assisting the South American country with engineering assessments of damaged buildings rather than search-and-rescue operations, the head of the team says.

“Unlike past missions, we were asked to help rehabilitate the country. At the request of the Venezuelan government, of course,” Home Front Command Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Elad Edri tells reporters.

The military’s delegation is made up of around 30 experts, mostly Home Front Command engineers who specialize in structural assessment. “This is a specific engineering discipline that enables an engineer to evaluate a building and determine whether it is suitable for rehabilitation or fit for use, or whether it needs to be demolished, which is extremely critical for the rehabilitation phase,” Edri says.

He tells reporters that there are an estimated 1,300 buildings that require structural assessment, an effort which began today in cooperation with local Venezuelan authorities, although it is unlikely that the Israeli team will go through all of them.

“Our teams of engineers will begin mapping the areas they requested. We were sent to classify buildings and say, okay, this one, destroy it, this one you can renovate, this one you can live in, this one you can’t live in,” Edri says.

He says the experts are also helping local authorities plan the demolition of unsafe buildings and the removal of debris.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry is also represented in the delegation, with the civilian component led by ambassador Yoed Magen, who grew up in Venezuela.

Despite Israel and Venezuela having no official diplomatic ties since 2009, Edri says the delegation has encountered no hostility from government officials or local residents. “We are here walking around in IDF uniforms with the state’s symbols with great pride. There is no concern for our safety,” he says.

Edri says the team was “shocked,” but “positively,” upon landing in Valencia on Wednesday, when they were greeted by members of Venezuela’s Jewish community, ambassadors, and local officials.

The delegation is currently expected to return to Israel on Sunday, although it could be asked to remain in the country for longer.