----- Forwarded message -----

From: "The Villages Group" <villagesgroup1@gmail.com>

To: "Ehud Krinis" <ksehud@gmail.com>

Cc:

Sent: Fri, 13 Aug 2021 at 20:33

Subject: Harun Abu Aram is re-learning to breath on is own - let's help him make further progress

Greetings to all who read this letter

In respect and awe I write the following –

Last Sunday, August 8th, for the first time in seven months, Haroun Abu Aram saw the blue sky, trees, flowers, and people. For the first time in seven months he was out in the hospital courtyard, breathing independently of his ventilating machine, seated in a wheelchair and seeing things other than the ceiling of his hospital room.

For the first time since January 1st, 2021, that cursed day when he was shot in the neck by an Israeli soldier and became paralyzed in all four limbs, Haroun smiled at himself and at the world.

Haroun was hospitalized for five months in Hebron’s Al Ahli Hospital ICU. Once it became clear that Haroun has chosen to live, we've searched for funding to transfer him to a rehabilitation hospital in Israel, as such a facility is nowhere to be found in the West Bank.

Israel has not accepted any accountability for his case, not even humanitarian responsibility. The Palestinian Authority, too, has shut its ears. We turned to the whole world, activated connections, turned tables – all in vain. While we've wasted precious time trying to secure a financial obligation for his hospitalization, Haroun’s condition worsened by the day. He laid motionless and developed severe life-threatening bedsores. The situation seemed hopeless.

That was the moment we've decided to take responsibility for the funding and transfer him, at all costs, to a Rehabilitation Hospital in Israel.

It was a gamble – and we won. People from Israel and abroad – friends, friends of friends, people we didn't even know – responded to our humane appeal and donated, each according to his capacity. Every cent carried so much understanding, compassion and goodwill. The donations have covered the cost of a single month, 91,000 NIS with which Haroun was transferred to the Respiratory Rehabilitation Division at Reut Hospital on May 26th, in critical condition.

Two weeks later we received estimates from the medical team: 2 to 3 months’ hospitalization will be needed in order to restore Haroun’s independent breathing, hoping that the bedsores too would heal.

We took another gamble, and once more people from all over the world responded, many of them for the second time.  A month later we repeated our call. And succeeded again. Barely.

Haroun, his family, the medical team, and we – his supporters – are on a harsh journey. Haroun’s physical state has been unstable. He is ready to be weaned from the respiratory machine, but the bedsores are not responding to the healing efforts and have been poisoning his blood. His body reacts with a relentless fever that hinders his progress and weakens his spirit.

Recently, the fever has receded and apparently the bedsores are beginning to respond to the treatment. On August 1st, as Haroun began his third month at Reut, we held another meeting with the medical team' and learned two things:

The good news – Haroun’s breathing and mood have improved; The harsh news – one more month (the fourth!) is needed in order to curb the effects of his bedsores.

Coming out of the meeting, we were barely breathing. How are we going to raise another 91,000 NIS? How can we appeal for the fourth time to the same people who have already donated once, twice and even three times?

I was reminded of Bertolt Brecht’s lines:

Like one who brings an important letter to the counter after office hours: the counter is already closed.

Like one who seeks to warn the city of an impending flood, but speaks another language.  They do not understand him.

Like a beggar who knocks for the fifth time at the door where he has four times been given something: the fifth time he is hungry.

Like one whose blood flows from a wound and who awaits the doctor: his blood goes on flowing.

So do we come forward and report that evil has been done us.

For a week now, we have been riding a ceaseless mental roller-coaster. But when we saw Haroun sitting on a wheelchair in the hospital courtyard and smiling, we knew we need to gamble once more.

Thanking you, in love and respect,

Erella, on behalf of the Villages Group

 

For donations:

Hibuk Olam, Bank Leumi (10), Branch 806 (Dizengoff), Account 30619648

In USA: nonviolenceinternational.net    In UK: cafdonate.cafonline.org