During the Syrian civil war, Israel launched Operation Good Neighbourhood. Through this aid effort, thousands of Syrian patients were treated in Israel, and hundreds of babies were born there – in the country that Syria has never recognized and with which it is therefore officially at war. The commander of the military initiative was Eyal Dror. Christians Standing with Israel (CSI) spoke with him about this extraordinary mission.
By Dana Nowak
Israel's quiet aid to its Syrian neighbors began in 2013, the third year of the Syrian civil war. It was initiated by an Israeli commando unit shocked by the suffering on the other side of the border. "Our soldiers saw what was happening there, how the population was suffering. There were small children, injured, in rags, barefoot in the snow. It was heartbreaking. Of course, there were significant security risks for Israel, as the area was controlled by ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other Islamist groups. Nevertheless, the Israeli army wanted to do something for the civilian population without getting involved in the war," explains Eyal Dror, Lt. Col. (Res.). And so it came to pass that between 2013 and 2016, Israel treated approximately 3,500 injured Syrians in its hospitals.
At some point, the soldiers realized that the aid operation offered a strategic opportunity: “We saw the chance to change the negative image of Israel that Syrians are indoctrinated with from a young age, to break through the hatred. We knew that these 3,500 people in Syria would tell their stories of how Israel had helped them. So we wanted to expand the aid operation.” But this bold idea presented the army with many challenges. The military authority COGAT, which usually oversees aid operations in the Palestinian territories and was the liaison officer for Eyal, sought cooperation with non-governmental organizations for the operation.
Furthermore, a new military unit had to be established to coordinate the operation. Eyal was appointed commander of the new unit due to his experience in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon, and because he was fluent in Arabic. “The unit had to be built from scratch. I arrived in the north in 2016, was given an office, and then it all began. Recruiting personnel, making plans. How could we best provide assistance? How could we avoid security risks? The ideas then had to be approved by the government,” Eyal explains.
Contact with the enemy
The biggest challenge was reaching the people in Syria and gaining their trust. “Any Syrian who approaches the Israeli border without prior agreement is initially considered a potential enemy. Likewise, Israelis can't simply travel to Syria. But we have contacts on the other side, in every region. These people risk their lives. Often, in an Arab country or Iran, the mere suspicion that you're an Israeli spy is enough to get you hanged without trial. These contacts were tasked with telling the Syrians that Israel wanted to help them.” Then it was a matter of encouraging the Syrians to come to Israel—to the country and to the people they had learned to hate since childhood.
Eyal's unit initially started with a project for chronically ill children. Every week, Israel admitted 25 children and their mothers to a hospital for treatment, for 72 weeks. "Seeing these children was heartbreaking. They were hungry, dirty, and hadn't been able to wash for weeks. We took them to a hospital. They received breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And we played with them," recalls Eyal, himself a father of three, with tears in his eyes.
In Israel, the children not only received medical treatment, but efforts were also made to nurture their souls. "We sang with them. We brought medical clowns and psychologists to the hospitals." More than 1,400 chronically ill children from Syria were cared for in this way. They and their mothers had contact with Israelis and Jews for the first time. "When they returned to Syria, we gave them food and clothing. They are all excellent ambassadors. They went back to their villages and told others about their experiences in Israel. And in doing so, they encouraged other people to accept our help."
Once, he played football with a Syrian boy. He was wearing his army uniform and asked the boy if he was afraid of him. "Why should I be? You're not a Syrian officer, you're an Israeli," the boy replied. "That's when I realized how important it is to act, to let our actions speak louder than words. We don't have a deal with these people, like, 'We'll take you to a doctor and then you'll support Israel.' Our actions alone speak for themselves and give these people the opportunity to see us for who we really are."
It hadn't been easy to gain the trust of the population. "Even though our contacts in Syria assured people they had nothing to fear, many were uncertain, especially at the beginning. But they very quickly saw that we genuinely wanted to help them." Later, people arrived at the border with smiles on their faces, because they had heard from the returnees that they would have a few truly good days in Israel. Eyal remembers a Syrian woman who told him: "These hours are so precious to me. I don't have to worry about being slaughtered, raped, or kidnapped. Here, I am safe."
Eyal continued, explaining that the wounded Syrians were treated in the hospitals like Israeli citizens. Word got around, and so many Syrians, given the choice between treatment in Israel and Jordan, ultimately opted for Israel. "Our goal wasn't just to save lives. We wanted people to receive the best possible treatment. The Israeli government paid for everything. We didn't receive any donations."
Israelis donate to Syria
The "Good Neighbor" unit was supported by Christian and Muslim organizations. They helped to build a field hospital at the border and transport aid supplies from Israel to Syria. "Tons of food, clothing, and other aid supplies reached Syria this way. Donated by Israelis, we brought the supplies to the border, where they were loaded onto trucks from aid organizations and distributed. We facilitated the construction of bakeries in several villages, providing thousands of people with fresh bread again. We transported 350 tons of donated clothing alone to Syria."
Among the various projects of Operation "Good Neighborliness," one focused on babies with heart problems. More than ten babies were treated in Israeli hospitals across the country. Despite all efforts, one of them died, Eyal said. "When I received this information, I was very concerned about the reactions on the Arab side. I feared that Israel would be accused of murdering the boy."
But things turned out differently. The boy's mother, who had spent the entire week in Israel with her baby, contacted Eyal and told him how she had returned to her village. There was great sorrow there, and she had been afraid of her husband's reaction. But he had embraced her and said, "Whether he lives or dies is in Allah's hands." He sent word to the Israelis: "What you did is unparalleled anywhere else in the world. We thank you. Even though things didn't end well, we are very grateful for your kindness and the good treatment."
Do good – and don't talk about it for now…
For the first year, the Israelis didn't report on the aid operation in the media. "The spokesperson for our unit kept coming to me, wanting permission to share the stories and pictures on social media because it would be good for Israel. But I forbade it. I didn't want the Syrians to think I was doing public relations at their expense." It wasn't until 2017 that Eyal authorized reporting on the operation—but not before consulting with the Syrian leaders in charge. "I asked if it was okay with them. It was about trust, after all. They agreed immediately. 'Be our voice and tell the world what's really happening here,' they told me. But when we went public with it, it was ultimately old news, and nobody was really interested anymore. That's why I wrote a book about the operation, that's why I'm talking about it now."
The book was written during Eyal's retirement. It is titled "Embracing the Enemy." "This relief operation was the greatest thing I've ever done in my life. I was supposed to be promoted to colonel after this operation. But I retired because I knew there could be nothing better than this operation. My book tells of the challenges, the relationships that developed with Syrians, the setbacks and the recovery, all the decisions that had to be made quickly and under pressure. I think it was unique."
Eyal still maintains contact with some of the Syrians who were treated in Israel. “Since I am still a reserve officer, it is life-threatening for any Syrian I contact in Syria. Therefore, I only have contact with Syrians abroad. We meet up from time to time.”
Eyal lives with his wife and three children in Kibbutz Dafna, a mile from the Lebanese border. Despite the tense security situation, he remains optimistic. His children and the Israeli flag give him hope. “I know that Israel is doing the right thing. Yes, we make mistakes and we are not perfect. But despite everything, we are a light for the nations; Israel and its defense force are good for the world, even if the world doesn't see it. I think Europe will eventually wake up and realize that we fought for them too.”
This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 142. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies for distribution.
