Taiwan expresses solidarity with Israel, embassy in Tel Aviv donates $70,000 to IDF soldiers and Israelis in need

In an act of solidarity with Israel, the Taiwan Embassy in Tel Aviv has donated about $70,000 to IDF soldiers and Israeli families in need through the non-profit organization, Pitchon-Lev.

Taiwan's Ambassador to Israel Abby Ya-ping Lee said she was proud that Taiwan is one of the first governments in the world to make such as tangible contribution to the Jewish state following the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7 that resulted in the brutal deaths of about 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals.

"I take immense pride in Taiwan's swift expression of solidarity and condolences for the tragic loss of life in Israel. Today, on behalf of the Taiwanese people and government, I am honored to announce our partnership with Pitchon-Lev. It exemplifies Taiwan's commitment to assisting those in need, regardless of their background, beliefs, or gender," Ya-ping Lee said.

Prior to the announcement, the Taiwanese envoy had visited the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv and inspected the organized efforts to collect clothes and other basic goods for IDF soldiers and affected families in southern Israel.

Established in 1998, Pitchon-Lev is a non-profit organization that focuses on combating structural poverty within Israel’s diverse society. Each year the organization helps around 160,000 Israelis in need, including IDF soldiers, with the help of donations.

CEO of the Pitchon-Lev Eli Cohen praised Taiwan in what he described as a war between humanity and inhumanity.

"The challenges we face in Israel are not just ordinary conflicts; they represent a battle of humanity against inhumanity, of justice against injustice," Cohen said.

"By standing steadfastly by Israel's side, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel Aviv, representing Taiwan, not only upholds the values of humanity and justice but also rekindles hope for those who may have lost faith in the goodness of humanity. It's a testament that, even in the darkest moments, humanity endures worldwide. We won't lose hope; together, we shall nurture it."

"I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the head of the mission and her team for their unwavering support of Pitchon-Lev and the State of Israel, particularly during these challenging times," Cohen added.

Together with other heads of the missions in Israel, Representative Abby Ya-Ping Lee was invited to Sourasky Medical Center this morning.

Ambassadors visited emergency facilities, including emergency underground hospital, and met with some of the wounded in the terrorist attack pic.twitter.com/HgkVAJwWBV

— Taiwan in Israel (@TaiwaninIsrael) October 17, 2023

While situated at opposite ends of the vast Asian continent, Israel and Taiwan have much in common.

Both nations are Western-oriented, pro-American democracies that have thriving economies which are threatened by powerful despotic regimes, such as Iran and China.

The People's Republic of China does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state and has vowed to bring it under Beijing rule. China has consequently pressured countries worldwide to refrain from recognizing Taiwan’s de facto national independence.

In June 2022, The Jerusalem Post, almost caused a diplomatic crisis between China and Israel after publishing an interview with the Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.

The Taiwanese foreign minister warned the Jewish state to be careful in its diplomatic and commercial dealings with the Chinese regime.

“China is an authoritarian country and they do business in a very different philosophy,” Wu stated at the time, stressing that China uses trade as a weapon to increase its political influence across the globe.

“Sometimes they use trade as a weapon, and we have seen them practicing their weaponized trade relations with many other countries. They did it to Lithuania, they did it to the Czech Republic and they also did it to Australia. Sometimes they try to do that to Taiwan, as well," Wu said.

"So, when we do business with an authoritarian country, we need to be very careful. We shouldn’t allow these kinds of business relations to jeopardize our national security. And I understand pretty well that Israel also places national security very high on the government agenda,” he added.