Finally: National Insurance Institute Recognized Ongoing PTSD

Following the activity of the Center for Social Rights in Sderot,& PHRI, the NII recognized the ongoing PTSD of Israelis living near the border with Gaza as victims of hostilities.

Mortar Attack on Sderot 2014. Photo: Yotam Ronen ActiveStills

Following the activity of the Center for Social Rights (CSR) in Sderot, together with Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), the National Insurance Institute recognized the ongoing PTSD of Israelis living near the border with Gaza as victims of hostilities.

Hitherto, the inhabitants of Sderot and other communities in the “Gaza Envelope” who suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of living under a constant rocket threat were not entitled to benefits from the National Insurance Institute subject to the Law of Benefits for Hostile Action Casualties. The technical reason for that was that the law required stating the precise timing of the incident leading to the mental disorder.

Many PTSD patients in the Gaza Envelope found it difficult to pinpoint a specific incident that had caused their disorder. Rather, they experienced it as the result of an ongoing reality – anxiety for loved ones and a daily routine of mental fatigue. Consequently, their applications for state support were rejected time and again, and they were denied financial supports, benefits and most importantly the rehabilitation that is so essential for their recovery.

Several years ago, CSR, together with PHRI, began advocating for revising the law and adjusting it to the reality of life in southern Israel. This campaign was supported by a professional opinion by Dr. Zeev Wiener, a psychiatrist and member of PHRI. Wiener argued that the restrictive interpretation of the Law of Benefits for Hostile Action Casualties is no longer in touch with reality, and that it must be adjusted to the actual damages experienced by the local inhabitants.

“Those living in certain parts of the country are exposed to the ongoing threat of rockets and experience traumatic events”, wrote Wiener. “Given the nature of the conflict, these incidents recur over the years. In this chain of events, there is no single formative event that causes the mental disorder, but rather a continuum of incidents involving direct personal impact, the witnessing of casualties and damage caused to others and an overall atmosphere of stress due to the hostilities”.

Recently, we were informed that the National Insurance Institute would change its forms for recognizing victims of hostilities, so that applications could be submitted without indicating a specific event. In doing so, it accepted the position of PHRI and CSR, and allowed the PTSD victims living near the border to receive the assistance they need.

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