After being recognized as an IDF invalid: The fighter who suffered from muscular dystrophy passed away | Israel Today

Avinoam Buharis, who was only recognized as an IDF invalid this week after contracting ALS near the time of his release, died last night at his home with his family • "He is fighting to live, despite his illness"

• Avinoam Buharis

  Photo: 

  Coco

Sad end:

Avinoam Buharis, a former armored combatant who contracted muscular dystrophy (ALS) near the end of his military service and only three days ago was recognized as an IDF invalid, passed away last night (Thursday). 

Buharis died at his home, with his family next to him.

The funeral will take place today (Friday) in Shiloh at 11 a.m.

"We say goodbye to Avinoam with great sorrow and sadness. He fights to live, despite the serious illness, he fights for the state to recognize him and his illness, and closes his eyes one last time when he knows he has won everything, like a true warrior," his family said. 

Three days ago, as mentioned, at the end of a five-year legal battle and on his deathbed, Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court Judge Rami Cohen reversed the Defense Ministry's decision and recognized Buharis as an IDF invalid. The family members said goodbye to him in a song mixed with great pain and demanded that the court decide the issue while he was alive.

The head of the Binyamin Regional Council, Israel Ganz, paid tribute to him: "Blessed be the truth. Avinoam Buharis from Shiloh died last night at his home with his family, after agony and a battle with ALS that has plagued him since his military service. He resourcefully casts his comrades who were shot at them. He received a medal of excellence for this 

.

We all grieve together with the dear Buharis family and send our condolences and a hug to the family and to the entire house of Shiloh. " 

Late justice 

Buharis enlisted in the IDF in March 2012 and served in the 188th Brigade in the Armored Corps.

Towards the end of his service he suffered from symptoms such as falls and fainting, which later turned out to be muscular dystrophy (ALS) which severely damaged his health.

He is confined to a wheelchair and has even lost the ability to speak.

His family members demanded that the Ministry of Defense recognize the connection between the illness and military service, since Buharis enlisted in the IDF completely healthy - but was rejected out of hand. In an appeal filed on his behalf, Adv. Eli Saban and Moran Shochat, an opinion was presented Heavy pressures and a real sense of risk to his life - are what led to the outbreak of the disease.

The Ministry of Defense demanded that the court dismiss the appeal, but as stated, it was accepted.

The judge accepted the position of Buharis' incapacity that the illness was caused by the service "proved to be a service that was saturated with stress, fears or pressures to the point of actual death," he noted.

"This is good news in our difficult days," Ofra Buharis, Avinoam's mother, said at the time, in response to the court's decision.

"Recognition was important to Avinoam who, despite his soul for the security of the state, he fought for it. I am sorry that the state did not take responsibility for him all these years and we had to go to court. Although Avinoam was put to sleep, we told him about the decision. .