The recent self-immolation of a disabled IDF soldier has seen calls to Israel's trauma-assistance hotline spike by 300%, the Walla news website reported on Wednesday.
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The report cited a statement by NATAL – the Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center, which said that while the crisis center usually sees the number of calls double on Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day Monday's tragedy saw the number of calls triple.
Itzik Saidyan remained in critical condition Wednesday, after he set himself on fire in front of the Defense Ministry's rehabilitation department offices in Petach Tikva, in central Israel, on Monday evening.
The self-immolation has left him with severe burns all over his body. Doctors at the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan are fighting for his life.
The 26-year-old fought in the 2014 Gaza war and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following the conflict. The IDF Veterans Association said that the Saidyan had been recognized by the Defense Ministry as having 25% disability over his PTSD but had requested 50% recognition and was growing increasingly frustrated at his treatment by authorities, which he said were dragging their feet.
According to the report, NATAL Executive Director Efrat Shaprut said that the crisis center saw a 35% increase in calls from veterans who fought in the 1973 Yom Kippur War and a 39% climb in calls from veterans who fought in 1982 Lebanon War. The majority of calls – 71% - were from soldiers who saw combat in Operation Defensive Shield in the Gaza Strip in 2014.
Memorial Day "is one of the most complex and difficult days on the Israeli calendar," Shaprut explained, adding that NATAL's hotline was available for 24 hours between Memorial Day and Independence Day, to ensure the calls of all those who reach out can be answered.
Wednesday saw dozens of people rally outside Sheba for a prayer vigil for Saidyan. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi visited him as well, and vowed that military officials will "do all they can" to help him and his family.
Also on Wednesday, dozens of veterans gathered near the site of the Memorial Day ceremony on Mount Herzl as part of a protest rally by an NGO dedicated to promoting awareness to veterans who suffer from PTSD.
"You may have preferred if we didn't come back alive [from battle] but we will not give up our rights. It's time you [policymakers] fight for us as we fought for you," organizers said in a statement.
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