MEDIA LINE
‘They Never Imagined Brothers from Israel Would Come’: Quake Aid Opens Rare Door in Venezuela
Gabriel Colodro
July 8, 2026

Israel’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Yoed Magen, arrived in Venezuela at the head of a team that, until recently, would have been hard to picture in Caracas: army officers, engineers, and Foreign Ministry personnel from a country that has had no diplomatic relations with Venezuela since 2009. The delegation has about 30 Israelis on the ground, most of them from the military and the Foreign Ministry, Magen told The Media Line. Another 20 specialists are working from Israel, reviewing material sent from the field and helping prepare recommendations for a national emergency-response plan. The team is expected to stay in Venezuela for about 10 days. Their work begins after the first rescue phase. Magen said the Israelis are not there for a classic search-and-rescue operation, but to help answer a more immediate question for local authorities and displaced families: What is still safe to use? The team is inspecting damaged buildings and infrastructure, drawing on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Home Front Command’s experience in disaster zones abroad. READ MORE

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