Netanyahu Visits MDA Headquarters

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Magen David Adom (MDA) National Headquarters in Ramla. There, he thanked Israel’s national emergency services system and its over 35,000 volunteers and staff following the recent 12 days of war with Iran, during which MDA treated over 1,340 casualties including 28 fatalities.

The visit was also presided over by MDA Global President Gilad Erdan, MDA Director General Eli Bin; Chairman of MDA’s Executive Board Rabbi Avraham Manela, and other senior MDA officials. The Prime Minister undertook a comprehensive tour of MDA’s Marcus National Blood Services Center, its laboratories, and the underground fortified National Blood Bank—the first of its kind in the world—which supplies blood units to hospitals and the IDF.

The Prime Minister also visited MDA’s protected emergency dispatch center and was presented with an overview of the non-governmental organization’s specialized emergency vehicles, including a Mobile Intensive Care Bus, medicycles, and others designed to reach areas with limited access quickly and efficiently. There, he addressed all MDA staff and volunteers over the radio system, thanking them for their lifesaving work.

The Prime Minister then proceeded to the Mark D. Lebow Convening Center, where he was briefed on MDA’s operations during the recent Operation Rising Lion in the presence of dozens of MDA personnel. He also met with MDA staff and volunteers who provided medical care to hundreds injured by the missile attacks from Iran, assisted in evacuating patients and premature infants to protected areas, and led blood donation efforts.

Among those he heard from were Erez Geller, Director of MDA’s Carmel Region, who spoke about managing missile impact sites in the north, and Ofir Shaish, Medical Deputy Director of MDA’s Ayalon Region, who described the challenge of treating hundreds of injured people in central Israel.

The Prime Minister also brought to the stage MDA volunteer Dalia Farihat, an EMT who, on her way home from a morning shift, found herself near a missile strike and treated two critically wounded individuals, including a 16-year-old boy with shrapnel in his neck—saving his life. He also honored MDA volunteer responder Daniel Stein, whose home was hit by a missile; after ensuring his family was safe, he went out and transported injured people from the scene himself.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported, “I am greatly impressed. As I saw here the motorcycles, the ambulances, the buses, the laboratories, I am greatly impressed by all that, but first and foremost, I am greatly impressed by you. There’s no such thing anywhere in the world. What you’ve done here, what you’re doing here, is unparalleled in the world. Primarily in terms of the equipment, the technology. But the structure of the activists, the volunteers—that is the people of Israel and the State of Israel at their best. I want to say—MDA is the best emergency service in the world, and it’s because of people like you. I want to express heartfelt thanks, on behalf of the Government of Israel and the citizens of Israel, to the thousands of EMTs and volunteers in Magen David Adom.”

MDA Global President Gilad Erdan said, “I want to thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for your important visit to MDA, Israel’s national rescue organization. This is a visit of support, strength, and solidarity with the tens of thousands of our paramedics, EMTs, ambulance drivers, and all MDA personnel. Today you understand even more clearly why the people call them ‘the warriors in white.’ Because Israeli citizens have spent months running for shelter when they hear Red Alert sirens—these extraordinary people run toward danger, not to hide, but to help and save lives.”

MDA Director General, Eli Bin, agreed, “Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for your visit. It is deeply meaningful and provides real encouragement to our EMTs, paramedics, blood collectors, lab technicians, and all members of the organization who work day and night with unmatched dedication. During both Operation ‘Iron Swords’ and Operation Rising Lion,’ MDA teams were, as always, the first to respond at the frontlines. From the very first moment, MDA personnel rushed into danger, under fire, risking their own lives, providing lifesaving care with true courage at tremendous personal cost. Some fell in the line of duty, others were wounded, but all acted with bravery and unwavering devotion to the people of Israel.” n

{U.S. Ambassador To Israel Mike Huckabee Visits Magen David Adom National Headquarters in Ramla and Donates Blood

{IMG U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee Visits Magen David Adom (1)

{IMG U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee Visits Magen David Adom (1)

{Caption U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee Visits Magen David Adom

{Credit Magen David Adom Spokesperson

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and his wife, Janet Huckabee, visited Magen David Adom’s (MDA) National Headquarters in Ramla. Also in attendance were MDA Global President Gilad Erdan, MDA Director-General Eli Bin, Evangelical charity Samaritan’s Purse Israel Director John Silkman, and other senior MDA officials.

During the visit, the ambassador toured MDA’s fortified National Operations Center, equipped with some of the world’s most advanced technologies, developed in-house by MDA. He also met with MDA emergency teams who provided lifesaving treatment to the injured in the field during Operation “Rising Lion.”

Ambassador Huckabee was shown MDA’s specialized emergency vehicles, including mobile intensive care buses, Unimog casualty evacuation trucks, emergency Medicycles, off-road vehicles, and more.

The Ambassador also visited MDA’s Marcus National Blood Services Center—the world’s first secure, underground facility of its kind, which collects, tests, and supplies blood units to hospitals throughout Israel and the IDF—as well as MDA’s Sussman Human Milk Bank, which provides milk for premature and ill infants whose mothers are unable to nurse.

At the end of the visit, the Ambassador and his wife donated blood.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Mike Huckabee, noted, “There is one thing in common among all the people who make this organization so extraordinary and life-saving—they all share the same goal: to save lives, regardless of religion, language, or nationality. That’s what makes this organization so special, and that deserves recognition and gratitude.”

MDA Global President, Gilad Erdan, commented, “I believe that after the recent operation in Iran, it became clearer—not only to Israelis but to people around the world—that Magen David Adom is truly the backbone of Israel’s resilience. These incredible people—our paramedics, teams, and volunteers—were everywhere within seconds. While everyone else ran into shelters, our teams ran out to save lives.”

MDA Director General, Eli Bin, agreed, “We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the United States and its leadership for their unwavering support over the years. The past two weeks have been critical for Israel. MDA teams rose to the challenge heroically, operating under fire with a deep sense of mission to save lives. Mr. Ambassador, your contribution to saving lives here is significant. We thank you, Ambassador Huckabee, for your great love and appreciation for the State of Israel. The capabilities you saw today—most of them are made possible thanks to supporters of Magen David Adom, especially from the United States. The steadfast support of our American friends has given us the means to save lives. I welcome the strong partnership between Magen David Adom and the United States and thank you for coming here today.”

MDA is Israel’s emergency services system. A leader in mass-casualty response and in EMS technology, Magen David Adom treats and transports more than 1 million people to hospitals every year; collects, safety tests, and distributes nearly all the blood to Israel’s hospitals; and, through its affiliation with the Red Cross movement, responds to disasters around the world. For more information, visit afmda.org. n