Rising Lion

With the launch of Operation Rising Lion and the declaration of a state of emergency on the home front, AJEEC–NISPED began operating in emergency mode to provide tailored and accessible support to Arab society in Israel, with a particular focus on the Bedouin society in the Negev and unrecognized villages.

The Arab society in Israel, and especially the Bedouin communities in the Negev, suffer from severe gaps in protection infrastructure. Most residents lack access to protected shelters or even early warning systems. In addition, there are significant gaps in public preparedness and access to accurate information—critical content is not always available, and poor infrastructure makes coping with emergencies even harder. The closure of schools due to the security situation exacerbates educational gaps, while the economic crisis leads to rising unemployment, food insecurity, and increased crime.

Establishment of the Southern Emergency Operations Center – Coordinating a Regional Response

AJEEC established the Southern Emergency Operations Center, in partnership with the Council of Unrecognized Villages, SHATIL South, local authorities, government ministries, the Home Front Command, medical organizations, and other civil society organizations. The center was geared towards meeting the needs of tens of thousands of residents across 35 unrecognized villages in the Negev.

The Emergency Operations Center focused on:

Accessible Information in Arabic: Reliable, culturally and linguistically appropriate content, including emergency guidelines and responses to misinformation.
Humanitarian Aid: Distribution of food, basic supplies, and emergency kits based on needs assessments in the villages.
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support: Referrals to a hotline for individual assistance, and training professionals to strengthen community-based mental health responses.
Education During Emergency: Daycare for single mothers, support for formal and informal education to enable remote learning and reduce learning gaps, including providing basic resources such as a computer for every child, learning kits, and support for children with special needs.
Government Advocacy: Promoting solutions in areas such as protective infrastructure, education, health, and welfare with relevant governmental bodies.
Healthcare: Monitoring injured individuals in hospitals, supporting families of the wounded and deceased, and addressing various health needs.
Expansion and Activation of Emergency Response Teams: Providing immediate response during emergencies, improving preparedness, and strengthening community resilience in the villages.

Beyond the Emergency Center, AJEEC staff and volunteers continued to operate additional nationwide responses:

Youth and Young Adults:

During the emergency, youth and young adults participating in AJEEC’s gap year programs and the AJEEC Youth Organization engaged in diverse and meaningful volunteer work within their local municipal emergency systems. From supporting municipal emergency centers to leading resilience initiatives, providing first aid (physical and emotional), and assisting residents in distress, AJEEC’s teams and volunteers helped evacuated families, conducted needs assessments in collaboration with municipalities, and disseminated tools to cope with stress. This work emphasized emotional support, training, community empowerment, educational continuity, and civic engagement—with a strong focus on mutual responsibility, initiative, and leadership.

Community Development and Women:

Activation of local emergency teams in unrecognized villages and in Rahat.
Partnerships with local organizations to support women and children.

Child Health and Welfare:

Parenting workshops to promote child safety and resilience during emergencies.
Relocation of playrooms to shelters and training of early childhood educators.
Development of educational materials and activity banks for early childhood caregivers.

Community Development and Activism:

Emergency team deployment in 5 unrecognized villages and in Rahat.
Work with women’s groups in both villages and cities, focusing on women and families living in shelters.
Lectures on political awareness and safe use of social media.

AJEEC Headquarters:

During the emergency period, AJEEC’s headquarters led efforts in public information coordination, and making information accessible to the public, in cooperation with authorities and various organizations. The headquarters teams focused on emergency resource mobilization to activate responses, strengthening ties with local authorities, connecting volunteers to activity points in the field, and leading campaigns to raise public awareness about protection gaps and the challenges faced by Arab society.

The “Emergency in Arabic” initiative provided reliable and accessible information in Arabic directly to residents—including guidelines, resources, and informational videos via WhatsApp and Telegram channels. In addition, the headquarters worked to advance policy with decision-makers in the areas of protective infrastructure, prevention of incitement, and emergency preparedness.

Once again, we at AJEEC continued to act—even under fire—to ensure that every person, in every community, and in every situation, receives information, assistance, and a sense of security.