Together We Stand

[ 33 ] is increasingly changing. It is now broadly recognized that we must use disaster situations to build back better. The window of opportunity created by a disaster must be used to leverage lasting positive impact, bridging the humanitarian- development divide. Israeli scholars and practitioners have been among the foremost advocates of viewing crisis as an opportunity, seeking to integrate longer-term development planning into a response to disasters and integrating disaster consciousness into development work. 10 Civil society organizations, oftenwith the support of MASHAV, the Israel Government’s international development branch, have pursued this integrative approach. Tag International Development, 11 a non-governmental organization (NGO) that shares Israeli expertise with developing countries, has brought this approach to post-conflict situations such as when promoting agriculture innovation in eastern Sri Lanka to help the victims of war, tsunami and flooding, or working to develop beekeeping in Myanmar, which is beginning a recovery from decades of conflict and oppression. Likewise, Brit Olam 12 (Hebrew for global alli- ance), with the Arava Centre for Sustainable Development 13 and the Missionary Community of Saint Paul the Apostle, 14 is strengthening community resilience and disaster mitigation through an agriculture-based livelihood regeneration programme in Turkana, a semi-arid region in Kenya. Disasters are most challenging when faced alone. While there are some fantastic examples of cooperation for disaster response, all too often the response is chaotic and uncoor- dinated. Wasteful duplication ensues, unhelpful competition between organizations results, and despite good intentions matters are made worse. Moreover, disasters are generally multifaceted, encompassing individuals, families and commu- nities, affecting state, civil society and commerce — and the response also needs to be comprehensive. Israeli coalitions and partnerships have been formed — incorporating both relief and development organizations — that enable more effective responses than are possible when each acts alone. Emergency services and relevant agencies in Israel regu- larly conduct joint drills and exercises to ensure that in the moment of truth parties can act on instinct. The Society for International Development of Israel 15 works to galvanize Israeli society to broad involvement in interna- tional development and foreign aid through a platform for professional joint action and dialogue, including study, professional trainings, capacity-building and local and inter- national networking. The Israel Trauma Coalition harnesses the collective expertise and experience of Israel’s civil society and government organizations to leverage resources to initi- ate, prioritize and optimize services. International partnerships with the Jewish diaspora have strengthened capacities. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 16 has a history of working with Israeli experts and organizations to respond to disasters around the world. Several Israeli NGOs have developed deep experience in recruiting, educating and employing volunteers for interna- tional service. For example, volunteering-based charity Tevel b’Tzedek 17 (Hebrew for the Earth with Justice) has operated both pre- and post-disaster in Haiti and Nepal leveraging young professionals from Israel and other countries. 18 Tevel focuses on education, building the capacity of volunteers and inculcating in them a strong sense of values. 19 The rate and scale of disasters is increasing and we need to think smarter about disaster response. It must begin long before the warning bells start ringing, through integrating disaster resilience into the fabric of society and its organiza- tions. As crises are inherently unpredictable, we need flexible thinking exercised by well-prepared but innovative respond- ers who are ready to face the disaster that occurs rather than the one they have planned in their scenario sessions. Disasters can happen anywhere and preparedness needs to include the ordinary citizen who can do extraordinary things when required. The horrific scale of many disasters may be attributed to lack of development and in the aftermath of catastrophes a key focus needs to be on preventing or miti- gating the next disaster. As tragic as disasters are, they do offer an opportunity to rethink town planning, infrastructure, housing, emergency services and multiple other aspects of the private and public sector. Whether planning for a potential disaster or responding to its aftermath, collective action is crucial. At all levels, from community cohesion to international agreements, our ability to manage major incidents is transformed when we learn the art of cooperation. Well-established mechanisms that include experts, agencies and organizations enable an effective and harmonious response that exponentially increases the ability to save life, mitigate injury and reduce suffering. As a nation and as a society, Israel has paid significant attention to these matters and has a valuable contribution to make to an increas- ingly precarious and disaster-prone world. The Israel Global Initiative calls for this knowledge-sharing to be intensified for the sake of a safer and more compassionate world. It is now broadly recognized that we must use disaster situations to build back better Image: AJJDC T ogether W e S tand