I wish Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) nothing but the best. Their work on PTSD, lone-soldier programs, and infrastructure within Israel is essential.
Per the organization’s charter they are not equipped to handle the most essential and/or “critical” needs of a soldier in a battlefield. And that is completely ok. What is not ok is to privately or publicly portray to the world that the organization is capable of doing things which it is prohibited from doing. FIDF cannot and will not purchase guns or ammo - I struggle to think of something more “critical” to a soldier than a gun in a battlefield.
There is a much longer conversation to be had about how the immense equipment shortages came to be. That’s for a different post. For today, I hope that every organization and fundraiser can be completely transparent in their marketing so that every single donor can make an informed and honest decision.
Soldiers today are desperate for critical life saving gear, like helmets, vests, ceramic plates, ballistic protective glasses, tactical boots, medical tactical bags and more. It's so important to do what we can to prevent serious injury and tragedy before FIDF post trauma support services step in. Our people deserve better. They are doing this so we can live.