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Strengthening Security in the Jordan Valley: Volunteers, Drones and Cooperation to Protect the Border and Support Emergency Rescue Operations

Against the backdrop of threats in the north and along Israel’s eastern border, a new initiative is strengthening security and emergency response capabilities in the Jordan Valley through volunteer training, advanced equipment and drones that can be used both to detect infiltrations and smuggling attempts and for search-and-rescue operations in the event of a natural disaster.

After approximately 1,050 consecutive days of service and deployment as part of Israel’s security efforts, Chaim Malespin, who in recent years has worked to strengthen ties between Israel and its supporters around the world, concluded that the threat facing Israel is not limited to the borders with Gaza and Lebanon. According to Malespin, the Jordan Valley is also an area of critical strategic and security importance and requires significant reinforcement of its local security and emergency-response capabilities.

A further step in this direction has now been taken, as a joint initiative involving Sky Next, the Jordan Valley Regional Council, security and rescue authorities, and local volunteers has led to specialized training for 14 volunteers and technical personnel in drone operations, as well as the provision of equipment to volunteers operating in the area.

Chaim Malespin, who heads two organizations active in Israel and internationally — Aliyah Return Center  and Faithful Galileans — says that in recent years there has been an increasing need to support security systems in communities located near the Jordanian border. According to him, since 2024 he has become increasingly convinced that the activity should be expanded and that volunteers should be provided with 

additional technological and professional tools.

One of the reasons for this is the evolving threat posed by drones. Along the Jordanian border, drones have been used for smuggling drugs and weapons, while there have also been incidents involving suspects attempting to cross the border, damage fences or exploit breaches in the security barrier.

“Drones are not just cameras in the sky. They can help locate infiltrators, scan areas that are difficult to access, search for missing people, and assist in search-and-rescue operations. The ability to deal with hostile drones carrying weapons or explosives will also become increasingly important,” Malespin says.

At the same time, this technology has clear civilian applications. The Jordan Valley is located in an area vulnerable to earthquakes, and advance preparedness for such an event could prove critical. In the event of a major earthquake, drones equipped with observation systems could help identify damaged areas and search for people trapped under rubble, at a time when every minute could be critical for rescue teams.

To advance the initiative, the organizers joined forces with Albert Kobi, Director of Emergency and Security Services in the Jordan Valley, Regional Council Chairman Idan Greenbaum, and local volunteers. As part of the initiative, volunteers underwent specialized training in drone operation and received equipment that will enable them to participate more effectively in security, search and rescue missions in the region.

Malespin emphasizes that the initiative is based on a broader concept: not merely purchasing equipment, but creating cooperation between different organizations. “The principle is simple,” he says. “We are stronger when we work together, rather than when each organization operates on its own.”

The Aliyah Return Center led by Malespin, assists new immigrants and supports their integration into Israeli society, including through assistance with food, clothing, furniture, housing, Hebrew studies and professional  training.

At the same time, Faithful Galileans, based at Beit Zera, works to train supporters and “ambassadors” of Israel from around the world through education, volunteer activities and hands-on experiences in Israel.

For Malespin, the connection between social and international activity and the security and emergency needs on the ground is part of a broader concept of mutual responsibility.

“What encourages me most is the fact that so many of the people doing this work are volunteers who are not waiting for someone else to solve the problem. They give their time, learn professional skills and prepare themselves to protect and rescue their neighbors,” Malespin says.

The current activity is the first stage of a broader program whose goals include strengthening search-and-rescue capabilities, developing programs involving service and rescue dogs, expanding emergency equipment supplies, and potentially assisting in the future with making an ambulance available to the volunteer emergency-response network in the area.

For Malespin, the delivery of equipment and completion of the volunteers’ training represent far more than a one-time event. “Every drone, every trained volunteer, every rescue tool and every partnership makes the Jordan Valley a little stronger,” he concludes.

“That’s what I love about the north. It is a place where people come together, roll up their sleeves and take responsibility for one another. It is a place with heart.”