Why Does Israel Rush into Disaster Zones? IsraAid and Soft Diplomacy (Part 1)

Unpacking Israeli History

Unpacked

Judaism, Religion & Spirituality, Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 20 January 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

After October 7, stories about Israeli humanitarian aid can sound like hasbara—a Hebrew term for public diplomacy or advocacy meant to improve Israel’s image. So in Part 1 of this two-part series, Noam Weissman asks a harder question: why does Israel keep rushing into disaster zones, often at real risk and with little strategic payoff? The episode traces Israel’s early “soft diplomacy” under Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir, then turns to IsraAid, Israel’s leading humanitarian NGO, through its work in drought-stricken Kenya and a daring evacuation during Afghanistan’s 2021 collapse. Next week, the story continues when Noam explores what happens when Israeli aid enters Gaza—and the moral and societal tensions that follow. Here are sources used for this episode: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Zx3FMR5-i_LU68qikZXnhU-8lOkV2jAspDU5Fyix2PE/edit?tab=t.byua9hckht This episode was generously sponsored by Friedkin Philanthropies and the Koret Foundation, and is inspired by ISRAEL 21c. To sponsor an episode or to be in touch, please email noam@unpacked.media. Check out this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This podcast is brought to you by Unpacked, an OpenDor Media brand .------------------- For other podcasts from Unpacked, check out: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jewish History Nerds⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Soulful Jewish Living⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stars of David with Elon Gold ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Wondering Jews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey everybody, Lon Gold here, comedian, actor Pro Semite.
0:20.8	I am the host of a show called Stars of David, and I have a trustee sidekick named Eli Leonard. Anyway, last season on Stars of David, we schmooze, we joke, we ask big questions. It's going to be even better this season. Wouldn't you say, Eli? Yeah, the laughs are going to be bigger because I'm going to be talking more. So join us for conversations with the likes of Yochai Spander, Yonit Levi, Biana Golodriga, Tiffany
0:27.8	Haddish, and more. And when I say more, I mean way more. In fact, ending the season with a
0:33.5	superstar of David. So you're going to learn stuff, you're going to think about life, identity, and the joy and occasional pain of being Jewish. It's going to be what, Eli? It's going to be a Mahaya. A Mahaya. So tune in to Stars of David with Elon Gold, wherever you get your podcasts, or find us on YouTube at Unpacked Podcasts. You're going to love it.
0:54.4	I promise.
0:55.7	Good Yontif.
0:57.8	Hey, I'm Norm Weissman, and this is unpacking Israeli history,
1:01.2	the podcast that takes a deep dive into some of the most intense,
1:04.2	historically fascinating, and often misunderstood events and stories linked to Israeli history.
1:09.8	This episode is sponsored by Freedkin Philanthropies and the Corret Foundation and is
1:14.2	inspired by Israel 21C.
1:16.6	To sponsor an episode of Unpacking Israeli History or just to say what's up, be in touch
1:20.7	at noam at unpacked.med.
1:23.6	Before we start, as always, check us out on Instagram, on TikTok, on YouTube, you know,
1:27.4	all the places.
1:28.1	Just search Unpacking Israeli History and hit the follow or subscribe button.
1:32.5	Okay?
1:33.3	Yala.
1:33.9	Let's do this.
1:36.8	We, the people of Israel, our people of Israel, we, the people of Israel, are prepared and anxious to meet the representatives of our neighbors without any preconditions.
1:55.0	There are people in Israel and elsewhere say it's impossible to make peace between their ups and Israel or the Jewish people.
2:04.2	I think they're wrong.
	...

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