Each year, on the annual National Day of Appreciation for Israel’s Wounded Soldiers and Victims of Terror, we pause for a moment to reflect on those who were injured defending our security – those who left parts of their bodies and souls on the battlefield, in Gaza, Lebanon, Judea and Samaria, and now even in Syria. But among the salutes and acknowledgments, it is crucial to remember that this day is not just about gestures and symbols; it is an urgent call to action.
Israel is currently dealing with an unprecedented rehabilitation crisis, such as we have not seen since the state’s establishment. Over 12,700 individuals injured during the Israel-Hamas war are already facing a new and complex reality – a number that is expected to grow.
Alarming forecasts of wounded IDF soldiers
The forecasts are alarming: According to the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department, by 2030, the number of disabled IDF veterans will exceed 100,000, with at least 45,000 of them suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
These numbers represent people, families, and entire lives shattered and now striving to rebuild. Every delay in treatment, every budgetary shortfall, and every staffing shortage exacts a heavy toll – not only on the wounded themselves but on Israeli society. Untreated PTSD creates ripples of hardship across families, communities, and even the national economy.
But this is not merely a crisis – it is a test. A test of the values upon which the State of Israel was founded. Wounded IDF soldiers are not just individuals harmed during their service; they symbolize the Israeli spirit. Their rehabilitation is not charity – it is a moral, ethical, and national duty. A country that fails to invest in its wounded does not just fail them; it undermines its social cohesion and national resilience.
As someone who was injured during my military service in combat in Gaza more than 30 years ago, I understand the daily struggle firsthand. I know the pain, the battle for rehabilitation, and the bureaucratic barriers that accompany it. But I also know the hope and the strength of a community that recognizes rehabilitation as a shared effort.
On this day, I call on our leadership to move beyond mere rhetoric and focus on action. Budgets must be increased, the implementation of reforms expedited, and additional professionals recruited to provide immediate assistance to the wounded and their families. Wounded IDF veterans cannot wait – they need support here and now.
This is a call to all of us – as citizens, as leaders, and as a community. The wounded of Israel’s battles, especially those from the current war, gave everything for us. Now it is our turn to prove that we are here for them because the strength of a nation is measured not only by its military power but also by its ability to rehabilitate those wounded on its behalf.
On this National Day of Appreciation, I salute our heroes and their families and urge us all: Let us raise the banner – not just of honor, but of responsibility and morality.
The writer is chairman of the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization.