"Saidian's rehabilitation is a miracle that mainly symbolizes his strength of mind" | listen

Itzik Saidian, a disabled IDF who set himself on fire in protest of his neglect by the system, was released last night from the rehabilitation department at Sheba Tel Hashomer Hospital, two years after the serious incident. Emi Palmore, former director general of the Ministry of Justice and chairman of Netal, which provides aid to victims Trauma on a national background, spoke this morning (Friday) with Iris Cole on 103FM about the unbelievable case.

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Palmer was asked at the beginning of the conversation what had actually changed in the two years since Saidian set himself on fire. She replied: "There is no doubt that Saidian's rehabilitation is a miracle, and above all it symbolizes and tells us something about the strengths of our health system and the strength of his soul."

"The Ministry of Defense made a reform, which apparently intended to do it even without him, but Saidian accelerated it – one soul. Basically, it was supposed to greatly shorten the recognition processes and also improve the torturers given. Some of the post-trauma victims are married, and this whole shell needs support and care, and our recognition as a company" she noted.

She also clarified that: "I am not here to represent the security establishment, although I was a volunteer partner in the process of improving recognition of post-trauma. I can say that a helpline was established, which is operated by Natal." This helpline receives thousands of calls a year, and provides a very, very significant response. First of all, a therapeutic response provided by volunteers. If necessary, therapists also enter the conversation. The line first of all provides listening, support. Many times he establishes a regular contact where the volunteer himself calls once a week at a fixed time."

"There are applicants who request and are transferred to clinical treatment, that is, treatment of a meeting with a psychologist for free in Netal, without any bureaucratic process, without the need to bring documents, but according to an interview and intake as is customary in treatment," she emphasized.

Palmer added: "It is important for me to clarify two things – anyone who submits an application for recognition today can automatically, even before they are recognized, be directed to receive free psychological treatment. Those who come to the NTL can receive this treatment without bringing documents."

As for the representation of the trauma victims in the exhausting recognition process, she said: "Netal does not engage in the recognition process and does not engage in representation, it does not hire lawyers to represent them. Part of the reform was to move the Ministry of Defense from the concept of an insurance company, to the concept of social security, like social security. You have a right, I the state sent it, you did not return as you were and therefore the state is obliged to take care and give the full envelope. I know that significant steps have been taken to facilitate this process."

"Sometimes, and we know this from Tel Aviv, people come and they don't want the recognition, they want to heal, support. They want to come back to life. At Netal, the treatment is free, and there are people who have been treated at Netal for many years for free. Such people, with whom I had the opportunity to speak, say, 'It was important for me not to be in the process of recognition, this process would have frozen my condition, in order to receive a percentage of disability I had to remain disabled'. Our campaign that ran last week talks about a different kind of remembrance, to help unconditionally even those who are alive," she said.

In addition, Palmore explained that "it is very difficult for a person who is post-traumatic to integrate into the world of work. There is a whole team that worked on the reform of one soul, and set clear criteria for how this thing should change. There is a minister of defense, head of the rehabilitation division, I know who who heads the rehabilitation department deals 24/7 with the affairs of the rehabilitation department, and tries to improve this thing."

"This year we are marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, I think that was the watershed. I think that the concept of what an army is, and what it means to be a soldier did not give room and did not give space. Think that the thought that a soldier can be a combatant is something that is very difficult for the army to contain him and recognize him because there is something in him that undermines the uncompromising strength we expect from our army," she explained.

Later, Palmore stated that: "Our process of seeing post-trauma, understanding that this thing is an inseparable part of the risks of military service, not only losing an arm, a leg or life – also suffering a transparent injury, we don't see it. That's why we also find out over the years that many people are unaware that the symptoms they suffer from are post-traumatic stress disorder. Joining the army creates a huge set of risks and prices that we pay as a society, as individuals and as families."

"This is part of the process in which the army realizes that it can no longer deny this risk. Also in the sense of preparing the soldiers, to prevent this as much as possible. Today there are treatments and studies that try to deal with this. And beyond that, to give the answers to the discharged soldiers. I would like as a start We will feel obligated to give this recognition, to be tolerant and above all to recognize it among our loved ones and friends," she concluded.