The National Jewish Assembly (NJA) was honoured to host Lt. Col. (Res.) Eyal Dror, former commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ Operation Good Neighbour and author of Embracing the Enemy, for an extraordinary talk on June 19 about the humanitarian and strategic dimensions of Israel’s engagement with Syria and Iran.
Drawing from his 24 years of military service, including more than 700 missions between 2016 and 2018, Lt. Col. Dror provided a first-hand account of how Israel extended lifesaving aid to Syrian civilians – many living under the control of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Hezbollah – amid the chaos of the Syrian civil war. “We made the impossible possible,” he said. “A Syrian child returned home with the flag of Israel, thanking us for the love and help. That is not just military work – it is moral leadership.”
Lt. Col. Dror underscored the Jewish imperative behind the mission, quoting the Talmudic teaching that “one who saves a life saves an entire world.” He detailed how his unit not only facilitated emergency treatment for thousands of wounded Syrians but also coordinated cross-border partnerships to deliver food, winter clothing, and even set up a maternity ward, ultimately saving over 1,000 newborns.
In a gripping second half of the event, Dror addressed Israel’s recent operations against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Calling it a “strategic surprise,” he described it as a military milestone that degraded Tehran’s chain of command and nuclear infrastructure. “The Iranian regime has been set back years,” he noted, “and the free world must realise it is not Israel that threatens peace – but Iran.”
He concluded with a passionate call for optimism: “Despite the pain of ongoing conflict, Israel is proving that values and strength can coexist. Our children deserve a future of security, not fear.”
The NJA thanks Lt. Col. Dror for his vital insights and for exemplifying the moral courage Israel brings to the global stage.
