IsraAid and the Israeli National Cycling team recently pulled off a daring rescue of Afghans seeking to escape the Taliban. Earlier this month, IsraAid, Israel’s non-governmental humanitarian aid agency, successfully coordinated an evacuation to Albania of 125 Afghans, including judges, journalists, TV presenters, human rights activists, relatives of Afghan diplomats, artists, law enforcement officers, and scientists, according to The Jerusalem Post.
In September, the Israeli National Cycling team led a joint mission with IsraAid to evacuate the Afghan National Women’s Cycling team. The rescuers mapped an escape for Afghanistan’s cyclers. They took them to a land crossing of an anonymous neighboring country, whose president the team’s ownership knew well and could help the refugees, worldisraelnews.com reported. Eventually the 42 refugees were transported safely to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a partner of Israel through last year’s Abraham Accords. “It was crazy — like something you would read in a spy novel,” said Sylvan Adams, co-owner of Israel’s cycling team.
The refugees are expected to settle in countries such as Canada, France and Switzerland for the long term, IsraAID said. The humanitarian organization has since been working to provide necessities to the 125 refugees in Albania in addition to the 1,000 already residing in the country.
Afghanistan caught the headlines in August when the Taliban took over the country, but for those still living there, fear and danger are still very present today and will continue to be for some time. That makes the courage of IsraAid and Israel’s cycling team so important. They saved 167 lives from a frightening fate in Afghanistan. And how amazing is it that the cycling team, a recreational group with no special responsibility to carry out rescue work, would take it upon themselves to risk their lives to save their counterparts in Afghanistan? Of course, it’s always a delight to see the Abraham Accords continue to reap dividends, as the relationship between Israel and the UAE helped secure shelter for these refugees. Thank the Lord for using His Chosen People to deliver the innocent from danger!
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