Between February 23-27, ELNET hosted a delegation of 27 senior defense officials, military strategists, security experts and advisers from France, the UK, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia, and the United States. The delegates travelled to Israel for a week to gain firsthand understanding of Israel’s war on seven fronts.
Sunday, February 23rd – Opening Dinner:
Upon their arrival, delegates were greeted at dinner by Dr. Emmanuel Navon, CEO of ELNET-Israel, By Dr. Arie Bensemhoun, CEO of ELNET-France, and by Mrs. Roberta Anati, CEO of ELNET-Italy. The keynote speaker was Itay Sagi, an IDF combat officer who was seriously wounded on October 7. Itay described what he witnessed on the battlefield on October 7, and he shared with the delegation his insights on urban warfare.
Monday, February 24th – Southern Israel
The delegates travelled to Ramat Aviv for security briefings by senior IDF officers, representing both the Spokesperson Unit and the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).
After this introduction, the delegates went south where they visited the sites of the October 7 massacres. At Kibbutz Kfar Aza, they were briefed by Lt. Col. Liad Diamond, who described the horrors he witnessed on October 7.
Lt. Col. Diamond explained that kibbutz members who were tortured, kidnapped, and murdered on October 7 were peace activists. As delegates walked through the kibbutz, they were deeply shaken by the overwhelming devastation and horror left by Hamas terrorists. They witnessed firsthand how close kibbutz Kfar Azza is to the border with Gaza.
Toward the end of the visit, Vice Admiral (ret.) C.J. Kilrain (United States), thanked Lt. Col. Diamond for his powerful testimony.
Delegates then went to the Nova Festival site, just 15 minutes south of Kibbutz Kfar Aza. There, Lt. Col. Diamond shared the harrowing details of the horrors faced by the hundreds of partygoers. More than 300 lives were lost that day, and dozens of people were kidnapped. While some were able to escape, others had to hide wherever they could.
One such hiding place was the so-called “yellow dumpster.”. The bar, where dozens of lifeless bodies were found by police on October 7, is still there. Delegates walked through portraits of the victims that stand on the “dance floor.”
After lunch in Sderot, a city also targeted by Hamas on October 7, delegates made their way to a viewpoint overlooking Gaza, where they received another security briefing from IDF forces stationed in the area. The delegation then proceeded to the Erez Border Crossing, once a bustling point of passage for thousands of Palestinians who used to work in Israel.
The day ended with a meeting with Brig. Gen. Amichai Levin, the commanding officer of the Hatzerim Air Force Base. Eager to gain insight into how the Israeli Air Force manages operations against a multi-front threat orchestrated by Iran, the delegates had the opportunity to ask questions. Before heading back to Tel Aviv, the delegates got an exclusive visit of the base and a presentation of one the air force’s most sophisticated air fighters.
Tuesday, February 25th – Ministry of Defense, Tel Aviv
Delegates met with senior security and defense officials from the IDF and Israel’s Ministry of Defense. They met with the Head of the IDF Press Desk , with Gen. Eliezer Toledano (Head of the IDF’s Strategic Department), and Brig. Gen. Elad Goren (Head of COGAT’s Humanitarian-Civilian Effort in Gaza). Brig. Gen. Goren described how Hamas seizes humanitarian aid intended at civilians.
Delegates also met with Col. Nadav Mincovski, Head of the Strategic Department In the international Law Division of the IDF. Col. Mincovski explained how the IDF conducts warfare according to international law, and he described procedures for authorizing special operations. In the evening, delegates watched the gruesome raw video on the October 7 atrocities.
Some of their reactions following the screening:
“The only thing we want to do after watching this is to give a hug to an entire nation.”
“I imagined many things, but I don’t know how I will ever be able to erase these images from my mind and heart.”
“This should be shown to the entire world, so no one can ever pretend this never happened.”
The day ended with a dinner whose keynote speaker was Amos Harel, Ha’aretz’s senior military correspondent.
Wednesday, February 26th – Ministry of Defense, Tel Aviv
Delegates were briefed at the Ministry of Defense by Brig. Gen. Dror Shalom, Head of the Political Military Bureau at the Ministry of Defense, and by Brig. Gen. Daniel Gold, Head of the Directorate of Defense, Research, and Development.
Delegates then visited Israel’s border police base, where they were briefed by Israeli National Police spokesperson, superintendent Micky Rosenfeld, and by the commander of YAMAS, the Police’s undercover special forces unit.
Delegates were given a glimpse into the undercover mechanisms of the unit, the special cars and buggies, including camouflage equipment, sniper undercover methods and drones. The combatants of the unit then performed for the delegates five live training scenarios, all with live ammunition, showing the delegates some of their intensive training methods.
Delegates then went to the Knesset, where they met with Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel who spoke about the post trauma of Israelis after October 7.
Back in Tel Aviv, delegates were briefed during dinner by Brig. Gen. Yaakov Amidror, who is currently a Senior Fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS).
Thursday, February 27th – Ashdod, Jerusalem
A particularly emotional moment occurred when Vice Admiral Kilrain presented Navy Colonel Paz with an honorary U.S. medal, while Colonel Paz reciprocated by awarding Kilrain with an IDF medal of gratitude. This exchange symbolized the deep bond of mutual respect and solidarity between the two militaries.
Delegates then watched videos showing the fierce battles that unfolded on October 7 and the extraordinary acts of heroism displayed by individual soldiers who did everything they could to thwart the attacks. Delegates also had an opportunity to explore Israel’s advanced warships and weaponry, gaining firsthand insight into the cutting-edge technologies deployed to protect the country.
From Ashdod, delegates travelled to Jerusalem where they had lunch with two lone soldiers—one from South Africa and one from Australia—who moved to Israel to enlist in the army. The soldiers spoke about the immense hardship of leaving their families behind, the deep respect and camaraderie they have for their commanders, and the emotions they faced after serving in Gaza and Lebanon.
In the afternoon, delegates met with Yoni Eshpar and Joseph Draznin from the National Security Council. Mr. Draznin, Deputy National Security Advisor, emphasized that post-October 7 Israel is a different country.
In the evening, delegates visited Jerusalem’s Old City, and the holy places of the three monotheistic faiths.
The visit ended with a dinner attended by three ELNET directors (Israel, France, and Italy), by the Chair of ELNET-Israel, and by ELNET donors. The keynote speaker was Khaled Abu Toameh, an Arab-Israeli journalist.
Vice Admiral Kilrain and General Sir Adrian Bradshaw, the co-chairs of the delegation, praised and thanked ELNET for this exceptional visit.
