Israeli army veteran awaiting disability recognition commits suicide

JERUSALEM

A former Israeli soldier has committed suicide while awaiting recognition of his disability status, local media reported.

Or Donio, who had been waiting for his disability status to be approved after his service in the Israeli army, ended his own life on Monday, said Israeli TV Channel 12.

Donio's family said he had waited for 10 months for the Defense Ministry to recognize his disability but got no response.

For its part, the ministry issued a statement of condolences stating that Donio's request had been immediately approved upon receipt and that he was given the green light to begin treatment with a therapist of his choice.

The ministry explained that Donio had requested no contact with the former commanders in his unit, which resulted in a longer processing time for his disability application.

Separately, in a similar incident on Tuesday, a former Israeli soldier died of serious burns after he set himself ablaze.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said Bar Klaf, 33, who set himself on fire on Tuesday after his disability was not recognized, died of his burns at an Israeli hospital.

Klaf served in the army in 2008-2011, and requested to be recognized as disabled, but his request was denied after he was diagnosed to be suffering from a mental illness unrelated to his military service.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat in Ankara