A hearing was held in the Magistrate's Court to decide whether Avinoam Buharis, who suffered from muscular dystrophy after his service at Eitan Cliff, will be recognized as an IDF invalid.
Six years after Avinoam Buharis, an armored fighter who saw difficult scenes in Operation Eitan Cliff and suffered from muscular dystrophy (ALS) as a result, he arrived yesterday (Tuesday) with his family and lawyers at the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, at the fateful hearing Bo as an IDF invalid.
// Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon
Buharis, with the help of his friends and family, started a battle to be recognized as an IDF invalid, because to this day the Ministry of Defense does not recognize him as such and the connection between the events he saw in the operation and the serious illness he suffers from.
A very short time after the operation, Buharis collapsed on his way to the base.
"He thought he was having something, but today we understand that this was the beginning of the disease," his mother Ofra Buharis told Israel Today.
In 2019, Avinoam's friends mobilized in his favor and created a mass campaign to help him deal with the serious illness.
In a short time, they managed to raise NIS 1 million online.
"Avinoam enlisted in the Armored Forces in 2012 and was released in 2015. He fought Operation Eitan for 56 consecutive days as a tank driver and saved his crew from a horrible death," his mother said. "The tank back and forth a second later hit the spot where they were. He received a badge of excellence for his performance in the war," she added.
However, despite his difficult situation, the Ministry of Defense claims that there is no connection between his illness and his military service, and therefore he appealed to the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court in an attempt to reverse the decision and receive the assistance he needs.
Buharis himself came to court in a hearing that his associates and family members defined as fateful, because after that hearing the judges will reach a decision.
Both sides have presented their positions regarding the recognition of Buharis as an IDF invalid, and the verdict will be received within a few weeks. Buharis' family believes that due to his difficult situation the court will try to shorten the schedule and provide an answer soon.
"Avinoam enlisted in the IDF in impeccable health, served as a soldier and worked hard for the country.
The Ministry of Defense's sympathy for his difficult situation is not enough for him, nor is the statement that he was informed of the pressure he was under in light of his activities at Tzuk Eitan - all of which do not alleviate his condition and he should be recognized , "Said Adv. Saban at the end of the hearing.
"We hope that justice will be done, that he will be recognized as an IDF invalid for all intents and purposes and will help him in terms of treatment, will recognize his contribution to the state.
"I hope that the Ministry of Defense will recover," he said in a conversation with "Israel Today."
Advocate Moran Shochat, one of his lawyers, noted that she hopes the court will accept their position. "This is mainly a medical dispute," she explained.
