Azione legale di un ex-soldato israeliano contro il Governo

A former officer (25 years old) in the aerial protection system of the military claims he has got cancer as a result of the radiation emitted from the aerial protection system of the arrow missiles battery, to which he was exposed for his 5 years of military service. Lately the officer filed a lawsuit to the Ministry of Defense, with lawyer Eli Saban, demanding to recognize him as military disabled because of his cancer. The officer, who did his main service in an arrow missiles battery in one of the bases in the center of the country, detailed in his lawsuit the conditions of his service: "the job in the battery included a lot of activity, both operation and guiding, the job included continued service in the battery on all its components: radar, control center....all my life's routine, including sleeping, was inside the battery. During all my service I was exposed to radar systems and to other systems that emit ionizing radiation".

The officer, it was said in the lawsuit, was recruited to the army in full health, and in the last year of his service he started feeling back pains, but he did not attribute importance to them and did not complain about them. Two years ago he was released from the army. When his back pain strengthened, he went to get checked and about half a year after he was released, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, in advanced stage with metastases.  "There is no history in my family of Hodgkin's disease" the officer wrote in the lawsuit. "I have no doubt, that the Hodgkin's was caused by the military service conditions and its special characteristic".  The Ministry of Defense received the lawsuit and the officer received a temporary approval to receive medical treatment at the expense of the Ministry

of Defense. If the Ministry of Defense will decide to reject the lawsuit, the officer will have to go to the court.

Lawyer Saban said yesterday: "the fighters' service conditions in the batteries of the aerial protection systems must be checked. I think that in this case, if there is doubt, it is right and appropriate to go towards the officer who did day and night for the security of the country, and to enable him help and rehabilitation."   

Yediot Ahronot 12.11.13

by Reuven Vice.