A soldier in grave condition after torching himself in protest act

Itzik Saidian, 26, a disabled former soldier of the Golani Brigade, is in critical condition after setting fire to himself at the offices of the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Division.  A friend said: “He set himself on fire in despair; those who are in charge of rehabilitation made it too hard for him.”

Saidain was diagnosed with PTSD, after seeing combat in an Operation Protective Edge battle in Gaza in 2014, in which 13 soldiers were killed. The Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi blamed the division for the tragedy and lamented the fighters “whose injuries cannot be seen but are carried for many years.” Saidan’s commanders arrived at his hospital bedside on Monday night as medics fought for his life.