UK veterans minister: ‘Let’s learn from Israel’s support for its wounded soldiers’
Leo Docherty met British and Israeli ex-servicemen and women at the Veteran Games, after addressing Sunday's opening ceremony near Tel Aviv.
The UK’s veterans minister has insisted the country can learn “a great deal” from Israel’s work in supporting wounded veterans – as he praised the British philanthropists behind a landmark initiative bringing together former soldiers from the two nations.
Leo Docherty met British and Israeli ex-servicemen and women taking part in the Veteran Games, a day after addressing the event’s opening ceremony at the Tel Aviv base of Beit Halochem.
The Games – the brainchild of the charity’s UK branch – will see 65 former members of the military who suffered physical or psychological injuries compete in swimming, shooting and cross-fit over three days. Together with their spouses and children, they will also enjoy tours of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and will have the opportunity to float in the Dead Sea.
The minister said the Games were an expression of “amazingly close” bilateral relations in defence and intelligence sharing.
While Israel’s “expertise” had been honed from the day of its independence through constant security concerns and compulsory service, it has only been in the last 20 years that the number of UK veterans has significantly risen.
The minister said the Games were an expression of “amazingly close” bilateral relations in defence and intelligence sharing.
“In our effort to provide to a global gold standard there are definitely insights to be gained from the first-class provision available to veterans in Israel,” he told Jewish News.
The politician – who was surprised to meet a soldier he served alongside in the Scots Guards – specifically praised the way Israel begins to prepare veterans for civilian life while they are still serving and for rehabilitation services that are “effortlessly world-leading”.
Of Beit Halochem, he said: “It feels like a community – that’s really important. The veterans here are embraced with their families. The experiences of families is equally important if not more so; often the challenge for veterans is the breakdown of families.”
Docherty’s trip also took in Sheba Medical Centre and a Ministry of Defence facilities in Ashdod aimed at easing the transition to civvy street. But it was the Games that seems to leave the biggest impact.
“You can’t see a triple amputee competing, or a veteran like Amos [who I met] who lost an arm in the Six Day War and not be moved. They’re all heroes.
“If I was another nation I’d definitely want to be here. If I was the US, for example, I’d definitely want to be here. I love the unique and very special atmosphere of veterans meeting other veterans and bringing their families with them. The atmosphere you felt in Hague [at TheInvictus Games] you definitely feel that here.”
I love the unique and very special atmosphere of veterans meeting other veterans and bringing their families with them.
He hailed Beit Halochem UK, the charity’s chair Andrew Wolfson and the donors who enabled the “magnificent” event to happen: Pears Foundation, Wolfson Family Charitable Trust, Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation, Exilarch’s Foundation, Charles Wolfson Charitable trust, Rachel Charitable Trust and Patron Charitable Initiatives.
Addressing 300 guests at the opening ceremony via video message on Sunday night, President Isaac Herzog described the visiting vets from the UK and Israel as “brothers and sisters in arms.
“You have served and you’ve sacrificed. We will never be able to repay our debt to you. Each of you represent the very best of our respective societies.”
Also sending a message was MP and foreign affairs committee select chair Tom Tugendhat, who himself served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Territorial Army officer. He said: “Over these next few days I hope you’ll make new friendships and that we’ll all learn a bit more about the trauma war can cause, how to heal it and how sport can really help. So I’m very glad the PTSD conference is happening at the same time.”
“You have served and you’ve sacrificed. We will never be able to repay our debt to you. Each of you represent the very best of our respective societies.
Wolfson stressed the centrality of involving the entire family in the Games, reflecting the ethos of Beit Halochem. He told the participants: “Our hope is that you leave here proud of what you’ve achieved, invigorated and mindful to take on your next endeavours. You are all heroes because you all put yourself in the front line in the defence of others.”
The event was hosted by multi medal-winning Paralympian Hanoch Budin, who lost an arm 40 years ago in the Lebanon war. “Words like rehabilitation, pain and prosthesis became my new vocabulary,” he said.
“Beit Halochem became my second home. In the swimming pool I took the first steps that pushed me to take part in six Paralympic Games, winning eight medals including two golds. I found freedom.”
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