Due to the fighting in Ukraine and the need for immediate medical aid, Magen David Adom is sending four bullet-proof ambulances to Ukraine. Assisted by MK Alex Kushnir (Yisrael Beytenu) and the Jewish Agency, and thanks to a donation from Christian supporters of Israel in Korea and other bodies who are assisting with the costs of shipping, MDA is sending the bullet-proof ambulances to assist the medical teams in the field who are treating the injured.
The four special ambulances that have recently ended their service with MDA took part over the years in hundreds of difficult cases, including treating patients from the Lebanon War, those injured in terror attacks across Judea and Samaria, and others injured in conflicts in the south of Israel, among others. The ambulances have undergone special service to prepare them for use in Ukraine, and are kitted and ready to provide medical aid under fire of battle. A meeting was held last week between MDA Director General Eli Bin and MK Kushnir, where the two agreed on the initiative, and MK Kushnir immediately began to contact the relevant authorities in Ukraine.
Yaakov Haguel, Chair of the Jewish Agency said: “It is a great merit for the Jewish Agency and MDA to send four ambulances to the battlefields in Ukraine. We here in the Land of Israel, the People of Israel, are coming to help the Ukrainian people in their hour of need. We are pleased to play a part in this important move.”
MK Alex Kushnir, Chair of the Finance Committee (Yisrael Beytenu) said: “After receiving the request from the Ukrainian government, I approached MDA Director General Eli Bin who immediately approved the delivery of four bullet-proof ambulances loaded with life-saving equipment. Over the past two weeks I have held innumerable calls between all the agencies involved in this mission. Last night I went to the airport to oversee that the ambulances were sent over, and I was thrilled to see the project in action. I thank MDA for their dedication to this cause, the Jewish Agency for the donation, DHL, the embassies in Ukraine and Israel, and the employees of the Aviation Authority. We will continue this cooperation to bring critical humanitarian supplies to the civilians in the war zone.”
MDA Director General Eli Bin said: “Magen David Adom bids farewell today to four bullet-proof ambulances that have served MDA and the Israeli people in the Second Lebanon War, in many operations, in violent escalations, and terror attacks across Judea and Samaria and Gaza. MDA Paramedics and EMTs, at times risking their own lives, have saved the lives of many patients while using these ambulances. Today, after they have ended their service with MDA to the Israeli people, they are making their way to Ukraine as part of the large humanitarian response being sent by MDA to benefit the civilian population there. Using these ambulances, medical teams in Ukraine will be able to save civilian lives, even under fire. I thank MK Kushnir, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Embassy in Ukraine, the Jewish Agency and other agencies the for their rapid assistance and the special collaboration, intended entirely to save lives in the battles in Eastern Europe.”