Histadrut acting chairman Roi Yaakov said the labor federation must play an active role in treating post-trauma cases, especially as Israel is still in a war that has affected many workers. Speaking at the ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth conference “A Country in Post-Trauma,” held with Histadrut, he said, “I think an organization that brings together so many workers, many of whom also took part in the war that is still ongoing, cannot sit on the sidelines and say, ‘Okay, the state will handle this alone.’”
Yaakov argued that post-trauma is not only a social issue but also a workplace problem, because employees disappear from work, hide their condition, and often need time to recover at their own expense. He said the goal should be a model like the Histadrut’s 29 regional districts, so people can seek help near home rather than travel. “If we set up a big center in Tel Aviv, I am sure that the post-traumatic person in Dimona will not travel to Tel Aviv for treatment,” he said.
He said the state should join with the Histadrut and local authorities to create a body that will treat these people, and that the first step is making care accessible. Yaakov added that this will require resources and training, including possible academies for trauma care. He noted that physical injuries are visible, but psychological trauma is hidden and requires a different kind of response.
Yaakov also pointed to the Histadrut’s support fund for survivors and their families as proof the model can work. He said survivors who spent hundreds of days in Hamas terror tunnels are slowly returning to routine, some even entering the workforce, because the state and Histadrut invested resources from the moment they were released. He also said the Histadrut used its organizational power to force progress in the Defense Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department, where he said 350 to 400 new positions are needed, and that discussions with the Finance Ministry and other government bodies are underway.
