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TV discussion- Israeli and Italian lawsuits
Israel	Created: 10 Mar 2013
Orly & Guy morning TV programme: regarding radiation in protected areas, Sigal Sadezky manager of radiation and cancer unit, Gertner Institute: Our main recommendation is to take the radiation source to distance and to minimize the radiation source, one of our main recommendations is not to talk where the reception is not good: in a place where there are not enough antennas, surely in a train. A train and an elevator are also places that increase the radiation to the people around us, Orly: how dangerous is it, how much is the radiation increasing there? are there numbers of the cumulative radiation levels, in closed areas, like trains and elevators? Sadezky: There are no numbers for the risk, there are numbers of how much the radiation increases. It is our conclusive recommendation, that in places where the reception is not good, do not use cell phones. Lawyer Danny Sur, expert in medical negligence: According to the information that was given to me, there was done radiation measurement in the protected room when the cell phone was activated, and at least according to the expert opinions, the radiation level was especially high. From my experience of dozens of years, after I did such agreements, professionally speaking, the two sides acted wisely, each one bought his risk wisely from his own perspective. The plaintiff who had enormous difficulty to prove scientifically and did not know whether the court would accept it or not, received a significant sum of money for the damage that was caused to him, and Partner company did their life deal. Because even if the risk is low and the verdict had been against Parnter, but inside the verdict there would have been scientific valued determinations that could have laid infrastructure for future lawsuits, they would expect to receive a wave of lawsuits. It is not a precedent, because when you arrive at such a settlement agreement like this, you buy the risk, in that you do not have a valued determination which can be used in future lawsuit. It cannot be used in the future as a precedent, but there is no doubt, that merely knowing this, and that's why they tried to hide it, is highly significant, because the public understands that there is a potential for tort lawsuits, and there's no doubt, that these are the future lawsuits. It is totally clear, it is going there. This is where are we going, with no doubt. Orly: let go the lawsuits, there is probably potential for cancer. Sigal Sadezky, you are the expert for me, do you speak on a cell phone? Sadezky: of course. I have a beautiful retro colorful headset, very nice, I try to use only a speaker and headset, I talk in the car, which is not good from safety reasons although there is no law against it. Guy: what about a warning? Sadezky: look, if we compare to the ionizing radiation, and I do not compare the radiation, I compare the length of time, the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, and only in 1994 they succeeded in proving the association between the radiation and brain tumors, which are very slow. In the case of the cell phones, the big Interphone study, which is the international study, and since then, there was not given money for research on adults, included users only until 2004, and the user for the longest period of time in this study was 13 years. And this is not enough. In Israel I am working these days on data that are updated to 2010 but it is local Israeli study and I hope I will have answers soon. Guy: What about the Italian court decision, does it not say about the risk? Sadezky: I would like to separate between what we say scientifically, in science in order to determine causal association we need very solid knowledge, including a period of time that we do not have yet, and between public health, where we make our boundaries more flexible, we do not want to cause harm, on the contrary, we want to take the preventive precautionary principle [Is that why she approved 4G on behalf of the Health Ministry?] and what happens in courts. What the court calls causality, and what science calls causality, is not the same at all, and we saw it in the Kishon story. Guy: How long did it take regarding cigarettes? Regarding cigarettes in the '50s it was known that cigarettes were carcinogenic and despite that, cigarette laws entered in the '70. It took 20 years. Also about ionizing radiation, there was a very long time gap, not regarding brain tumors, we knew about leukemias in the middle of '50, solid tumors in the '60, and only in the middle of the '70 ALARA principle was determined to minimize the radiation. In the same years, in 1979 Noble prize was given for the invention of CT, and for 30 years they distributed CT as if there is no tomorrow. Lawyer Sur: it should not be forgetten that those who stand behind it, regarding cigarettes or cellular, are very powerful corporations who, many times, I do not want to say it in certain, but they surely do not act in order to expose the whole truth to us, and she is right about the courts, it is clear today that if the plaintiff has a burden of proof in the same level like it is demanded in civil lawsuit, meaning, clear conclusive scientific proof, it will never be possible, like in a phase of dozens of years later. The rejection of the lawsuit is part of the settlement agreement, and the payment too, it is not that the court examined the case itself. http://www.tvland.co.il/DisplayInside.asp?catID=1148&Sno=40&ID=45736&Q=%E0%E5%F8%EC%E9%20%E5%E2%E9%E0%20%EE%F8%F5%202013%20%E0%E5%F8%EC%E9%20%E5%E2%E9%E0%2004.03.13
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Source: Iris Atzmon/Agnes Ingvarsdottir

Telecom's payment to cancer patient could open floodgates: legal expert
Israel	Created: 4 Mar 2013
Partner's payment to the cancer patient may bring a wave of lawsuits, says lawyer Anat Ginsburg, expert in tort and medical negligence. According to lawyer Anat Ginsburg, it is a dramatic development, and the flood of lawsuits that can be filed in the future against Partner and the other cell phone companies can reach to sums of hudreds millions shekels. "Let's hope that they have good insurances, because in the future, lawsuits can be filed also by cell phone users who got more types of cancer that can be cause as a result of the radiation, for example head, mouth and jaw, throat tumors and so on", she says. More she says that "what is very interesting here is that Partner did not insist that the payment would be secret and the settlement with the plaintiff will be secret. [this is of course not the case, but someone leaked it to the press, it is not known who]. - Can it be that Partner paid the plaintiff 400,000 shekels as "nuisance value", meaning, to save the cost of the legal process and not more than that? "400,000 shekels is not a sum that can be counted as "nuisance value" in tort verdicts, but a sum which points that Partner wanted to save the cost of the legal management process without a verdict." - Meaning, Partner was afraid that the lawsuit would be accepted? "Yes, probably Partner had experts opinion that supported the lawsuit. If Partner's experts had negated completely the claims that were raised against the company in the lawsuit, and negated any causal relationship between cell phone use and cancer, to zero, they wouldn't have paid such sum to the plaintiff." Is it possible, that the cell phone companies hide from the public information about the relationship between cell phone use and cancer? "I will put it this way: it is possible that the cell phone companies have studies that support such lawsuits, that the general public is not familiar with". Also lawyer Iron Pestinger, an expert in tort and medical negligence, thinks that "it is possible that there are studies in the piping, that point to relationship between cell phone use and cancer, and maybe the cell phone companies know about developments in this issue, that the public is not aware of. " (english translation by Iris Atzmon) Related news: Mar 2013, Israel: Cell phone company will pay to head-cancer patient despite winning lawsuit
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Source: Globes, english translation by Iris Atzmon, 04 Mar 2013

Cell phone company will pay to head-cancer patient despite winning lawsuit
Israel	Created: 1 Mar 2013
The Orange network operator in Israel, Partner, will pay 400,000 shekels to a lawyer in his 50's, who sued the company, claiming he got cancer after he had been using two cell phones he had bought from the company. According to YNET, Partner relates to it as a gesture of good will, trying to help him in dealing with his disease, and agreed to pay without admitting any of the claims. The court verdict was that the lawsuit was rejected. The lawyer filed the lawsuit in May 2010 to the district court. He demanded to pay him millions of shekels, after he got a rare and aggressive lymphoma near his left ear. He claimed that he got the disease because of frequent use he had done with both cell phones he had bought from the company, one in 2003 and the other in 2007. He used the phone in the protected area in his house [explanation - this relates to a room with wide walls, that all people in Israel need to have in order to protect themselves from missiles in wars. It can be the internal room in the house which has more walls compared to external rooms, or a room with wide walls that was built especially for this purpose] and Partner is responsible for the damage that was caused to him because they did not warn him from using the phone in this room, in which the use causes higher emissions of radiation. In the medical expert opinion it was claimed that there is an association between the cancer that the plaintiff developed and cell phone use, and that the rare cancer was discovered only in one place in the body - exactly the place where he was exposed to radiation. Partner said in response: the company is following with extra strictness, after the guidelines and orders of the WHO, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Communication and all the relevant bodies. The lawsuit was not found to have any medical or scientific basis, and it was rejected by the court. Considering the personal story of the plaintiff, the company decided on an exceptional human gesture, we wish him full recovery. (english translation by Iris Atzmon) Original article in Hebrew: http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/1,7340,L-4351091,00.html
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Source: YNet, translation by Iris Atzmon, 01 Mar 2013

"The Education Ministry's dilemma - first installing WiFi - then measuring radiation."
Israel	Created: 30 Dec 2012
The lawsuit to the high court joins local organizations of parents, like the one Eden Fux is a member of, a parent of a 5th grade child in Tel Aviv, who is part of organizing against radiation emitting products in schools. "Every peson will take the radiation to distance from his children. None will put the router on the desk where the child is playing, and none will put router in every room in the house, surely not in a room where the child is sitting for 6-7 hours. But the installation in school was done without our knowledge, in contrast to the guidelines and without logic. They don't consult with the parents and run with the technology, in contrast to the recommendations of international health organizations". Fux also says that the people who come to measure radiation in the school said it's strange to put router in every classroom. "We saw that there are 4 fold routers than what is needed. The WiFi phenomenon is not ancient, why do we need to learn the risks with in depth studies after 30 years? " he says. http://www.calcalist.co.il/internet/articles/0,7340,L-3591691,00.html
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Source: Iris Atzmon/Agnes Ingvarsdottir

AMAZING NEWS FROM ISRAEL - MINISTRY OF HEALTH JOINED OUR CAUSE - CALLING TO BAN WIFI IN SCHOOLS
Israel	Created: 25 Aug 2012
Agust 23, 2012 - From: Dafna Tachover and Amirb (No Rad) AMAZING NEWS FROM ISRAEL - MINISTRY OF HEALTH JOINED OUR CAUSE - CALLING TO BAN WIFI IN SCHOOLS. Following our correspondence threatening to bring a Petition to the Supreme Court to ban WIFI in schools, Rabi Yaakov Litzman, the Deputy Minister of Health, sent us a letter this morning stating that he is supporting our action and calls to BAN WIFI in SCHOOLS! We sent another warning letter saying that on Sunday a Petition to the Supreme Court would be submitted! For more information, see http://norad4u.blogspot.co.il/2012/08/this-is-translation-to-english-of.html
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Source: Olle Jonansen/Agnes Ingvarsdottir.

Stop Wi-Fi in schools, deputy health minister implores
Israel	Created: 24 Aug 2012
Yaakov Litzman asks education minister to halt installation of wireless internet due to hazards of electromagnetic radiation. Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman on Thursday implored Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar to immediately suspend the installation of wireless Internet in schools due to what he termed the hazards of electromagnetic radiation. Litzman issued an official letter to Sa’ar following a letter he received from Attorney Michael Bach. Bach, citing medical research, warned about the health threats to students. “I am in deep sympathy with Bach’s letter,” wrote Litzman. “I have dealt extensively with the issue, although I am not a professional, and I fear lest the day come when we shall rue the irreversible damage visited on our children.” Certain countries have banned Wi-Fi in educational institutions, most notably France, which has prohibited any kind of wireless communication in its schools. Related news: Aug 2012, Israel: Wi-Fi goes to high court in Israel
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Source: Times of Israel, Philip Podolsky, 23 Aug 2012

Wi-Fi goes to high court in Israel
Israel	Created: 20 Aug 2012
Lawyer Michael Bach represents 1) lawyer Dafna Tachover 2) the chairwoman of the national parents leadership 3) sane cellular forum. The education ministry was warned in a letter before lawsuit in the high court that if they do not ban the Wi-Fi until Monday they will be sued. The responses to an article that was published about it, show that most people do not understand what's the problem, many mocking, claiming that there is radiation everywhere anyway, that parents who sue are parents who give their children cell phone iphone etc... most of the responses are like that. Ynet is the most popular website in Israel, belonging to The biggest national newspaper. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4270108,00.html
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Source: Iris Atzmon/Agnes Ingvarsdottir

Is human saliva an indicator of the adverse health effects of using mobile phones?
Israel	Created: 19 Aug 2012
Abstract: Increasing use of mobile phones creates growing concern regarding harmful effects of radiofrequency non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (NIER) on human tissues located close to the ear where phones are commonly held for long periods of time. We studied 20 subjects in the 'mobile phone group' who had a mean duration of mobile phone use of 12.5 years (range 8-15) and a mean time use of 29.6 hours per month (range 8-100). Deaf individuals served as controls. We compared salivary outcomes (secretion, oxidative damage indices, flow rate and composition) between mobile phone users and non-users. We report significant increase in all salivary oxidative stress indices studied in mobile phone users. Salivary flow, total protein, albumin and amylase activity were decreased in mobile phone users. These observations lead to the hypothesis that the use of mobile phones may cause oxidative stress and modify salivary function.
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Source: PubMed, Hamzany et al., 15 Aug 2012

Breakthrough for EHS in Israel
Israel	Created: 23 Jun 2012
No 1 Radio Show ‘OSIM TZOHORAIM’ in Israel Started a National Campaign on EHS, and other new developments. We have made a huge breakthrough in Israel regarding EHS (Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity). Following the recent and groundbreaking article about Dafna Tachover’s experience as she suffers with EHS (by Yediot's senior reporter Smadar Shir and photographer Nadav Neuhaus), which was published on June 15th in the leading paper in Israel, “Yediot Aharonot” http://ehsfighback.blogspot.com/2012/06/article-about-dafna-tachover-ehs.html an unprecedented buzz about EHS was started. Dafna was subsequently interviewed by Israel’s No. 1 rated radio show, OSIM TZOHORAIM, on Monday, June 18, 2012. At the end of the interview, the host, the highly esteemed Yael Dan, who was touched and astonished by Dafna’s story, declared: “I promise you that I am going to lift the glove, to reach people in Israel and to raise awareness to this condition.” As a result of the interview, dozens of EHS victims called the radio station. Ms. Dan, who was shocked by the outpouring of responses, acknowledged her duty as a journalist to expose this hidden problem and decided to start a national campaign on the topic. “Many people called us to tell us that they also suffer from this condition and we are taking it upon ourselves to learn about the condition, to investigate it and to present your stories as we should. We are going to do so in the coming days, weeks and months.” Please read more at link: http://ehsfighback.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/breakthrough-for-ehs-in-israel.html Dafna Tachover, Esq. (NY, Israel) MBA
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Source: Dafna Tachover/Agnes Ingvarsdottir

1993: FDA internal memo admits microwaves can accelerate cancer
Israel	Created: 26 May 2012
In the spring of 1993 at the height of public concern over cell phone–brain tumour risks, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) biologists concluded that the available data "strongly suggest" that microwaves can "accelerate the development of cancer". This assessment is in an internal agency memo recently obtained by Microwave News under the Freedom of Information Act. http://microwavenews.com/news/backissues/j-f03issue.pdf And in Robert Kane's book "Cellular Telephone Russian Roulette" pages 84- 89 the EPA makes similar statement (Kane was a Motorola research scientist) "U.S. EPA released a draft copy of its report on the evaluation of the potential carcinogenicity of electromagnetic fields. The report, first of all, finds that In view of these laboratory studies, there is reason to believe that the findings of carcinogenicity in humans are biologically plausible. Of course, they were referring to laboratory studies that they had reviewed. This admission by the EPA means that the carcinogenic effects of electromagnetic energy are valid or likely....The EPA has concluded that the results of the occupational cancer studies are remarkably consistent .... [T]he consistency and specificity of the findings provide evidence that EM- field exposure in the workplace may pose a carcinogenic risk for adults . . ." (see footnote 94). Radiofrequency energy exposure has moved into the everyday environment for most people. What was true for the relatively few individuals in the past is now, by the EPA’s own conclusions, the norm for the entire population. In summary form, the EPA’s report of five case control studies found that four of the jive noted significantly elevated risks of cancer in the following categories of employment; (1) gliomas and astrocytomas in Maryland electricians, telephone servicemen, linemen, railroad and telecommunication workers, engineers as well as electronic engineers; (2) primary brain cancer in workers of Philadelphia, northern New Jersey, and south Louisiana involved with design, manufacture, repair, or installation of electrical and electronic equipment; (3) brain cancer in East Texas male workers involved in highly exposed (EM fields) occupations in the transportation, communication, and the utilities industry; (4) brain cancer in workers identified in a 16-state NCHS survey of industries and occupations" (see footnote 94). One common thread that runs through these four case studies is brain cancer. Realize now that the levels of electromagnetic energy to which those workers were typically exposed were much lower than the exposure to which a portable cellular telephone user is subjected with each telephone call. The EPA, in this report, concedes that "There is a link between exposure to EM fields and certain forms of site-specific cancer, namely leukemia, CNS, and lymphoma" (see footnote 94). Of course, in the instances when the exposure is directed at the head and brain of the human subject, as it is with portable cellular telephone use, we should expect that the predominant form of cancer would be central nervous system (brain) cancer. Download Kane's book here (PDF): http://microondes.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/robert_c_kane_cellular_telephone_russian_roulette.pdf
Source: Iris Atzmon, via email, 26 May 2012

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