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Israel Wi-Fi Breakthroughs: TV Documentary, School Ban
Israel Created: 21 Apr 2016
Wi-Fi health advocates were exultant today at news that an Israeli TV documentary titled “How We are Killing Ourselves—Wireless Radiation” won a high rating and Haifi ordered Wi-Fi removed from all schools.

The 30-minute documentary about the “epidemic of Electro-Sensitivity” (ES) aired at 9 p.m. April 12 and “received the highest rating of the day,” according to Dafna Tachover, an attorney with offices in Israel and New York.

She provided a link to the show to Wi-Fi health advocates in other countries noting that while the video is in Hebrew there are some interviews in English: http://reshet.tv/Shows/specialsreshet/vml,315/

Tachover said the director planned to do 10 minutes on ES as part of a film about the diseases of the 21st century but after working with health advocates “understood the extent of the problem and the lie and how important it is to give an uncompromising warning to the public.” It was then decided to do 30 minutes mainly on ES and Wi-Fi in schools.

Said Tachover: “The host was a leading TV media person and his tone was uncompromising - no maybes, precautionary etc., the tone was - there is an epidemic out there. Wireless harms and it is time for us to wake up as it is late already. He started by saying that at least 800,000 people in Israel, i.e. 10% of the population already suffer from different levels of ES and twice aired parts of my interview in which I was saying that the rates are already higher and will continue to increase.”

Two government "experts" admitted on the show that the thermal safety standard is irrelevant which is not what they told the Supreme Court, wrote Tachover.

TV Show Created "Buzz"

“Most importantly,” she wrote, “the movie created a lot of buzz and sent a very alarming message that radiation harms are not potential but existing, and in an epidemic scale.”

Israelis participating in the show included Amir Borenstein, Yael Levin and her daughter Noa who told what it is like to be electro-sensitive. Parents who fight Wi-Fi in the school were also interviewed. Tachover was interviewed as an expert and activist and on the medical side were Prof. Richter and Dr. Yael Stein. The technical side was presented by engineer Liran Raz of the U.S. Mentioned was Jenny Fry, the 15-year-old U.K. student who committed suicide because of Wi-Fi in her school.

Tachover said Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav announced the city, third largest in Israel, is immediately removing Wi-Fi from its schools, saying "When there is a doubt, when it comes to our children, there is no doubt.”

Said Tachover: “Electro-Sensitivity is an epidemic and not three percent of the population. We are now in the double digits in terms of ES. The public must be told. Wi-Fi in schools is a disaster and as a person who spends two to four hours every day on the phone with people and children who got sick, with many contemplate committing suicide, I urge you all to be uncompromising. The truth, and all of it must be told. Continued good luck to us all and thanks to anyone out there who stands up to evil and stupidity.”
Click here to view the source article.
Source: O'Dwyer's, Jack O'Dwyer, 20 Apr 2016

Haifa municipality disconnects WiFi in kindergartens and schools in the city
Israel Created: 20 Apr 2016
The mayor of Haifa (in Israel) ordered to disconnect WiFi in schools and kindergartens – until examining the safety of WiFi thoroughly.

Haifa's mayor, Yona Yahav, ordered in coordination with the head of education department, Ilana Truck, to immediately disconnect WiFi in educational system until a thorough examination of the subject.
At the same time, Yahav guided to advance the installation of wired safer system.

Yahav: "The education system in Haifa is full of network computers and new, advanced technological systems. However, regarding anything that relates to our children, if there is doubt- there is no doubt. We must take excessive precaution.
As long as the argument on real danger was not refuted, I ordered to disconnect all the devices in kindergartens and in schools. In order not to prevent advanced technology from the children, we will act to activate safe wired system.

In recent years, the internet media has become part of our daily lives. The use of cell phones, smart phones and computers is gaining momentum among a wide range of ages, where children is an especially sensitive population to environmental effects among them exposure to electromagnetic radiation (non-ionizing radiation).

Since the publication of the State Comptroller report in December 2014 on the subject handling electromagnetic radiation in the education systems by local authorities and "private owners", all relevant bodies were recruited to measure radiation in all schools
in the country Haifa municipality states, that "the education system has advanced computers system of the highest level. They are under control and stand in annual measurements and until today the results were lower than the demand of the existing standard In view of this, and as long as it was not proven that WiFi radiation is dangerous, a discussion has started in the municipality to take precaution and receive answers from the governmental ministries.

Haifa municipality is organizing a conference for the next month, on radiation from cell phones and smart phones, in order to give knowledge to the public on wireless emitting technologies and their effects. The conference will deal with creating a policy for educated use of cell phones in the education system in Haifa. Part of the conference will be dedicated to radiation from Wi-Fi. This week, in coordination with the head of the city's education system, Ilana Truck, Yahav ordered to disconnect immediately the WiFi in kindergartens and schools in Haifa until a thorough examination of the subject is done. These days the education system is preparing to gradually install wired system as an alternative in all education system in the city.
These will be installed in the first stage in classrooms where pupils learn for the final exams that force use of computers, so they won't be harmed from the disconnect. The teachers in elementary schools in the city took on themselves to load every evening
the studies material from the internet, so that pupils are not exposed and their studies won't be harmed. Dr. Mona Nofi-Naama, head of non ionizing radiation issue, in the Cities Association Haifa Bay for environmental protection: "According to the precautionary principle, it is needed to reduce the exposure to non ionizing radiation as much as possible, among the rest also WiFi, by reducing the use of wireless networks and to prefer in every opportunity wired connection rather than wireless.

The standards relate to thermal effect only, while here the subject is health effects that do not relate to heating that are in low levels below the standard, but were not defined.
Click here to view the source article.
Source: Local.co.il, via Iris Atzmon, 18 Apr 2016

Israeli TV Warns of Wi-Fi Dangers in Schools
Israel Created: 7 Mar 2016
Israel’s Channel 1 national TV program aired a 17-minute segment Feb 24 examining charges that electromagnetic radiation from Wi-Fi and other sources poses a danger to citizens, especially children.

Also covered is the radiation from cell towers, wireless utility meters, Wi-Fi routers and computers.

The program is in Hebrew but English subtitles are provided (click the "CC" button on the youtube player for subtitles):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjk5VSrAySw

Teachers, parents, technicians and government officials are among those interviewed. Views of those who have become hypersensitive to electromagnetic radiation are obtained.

The topic has yet to gain traction with the bulk of Israeli media, say some of the participants.

Amir Borenstein posted the tape on YouTube.
Click here to view the source article.
Source: O'Dwyers, Jack O'Dwyer, 07 Mar 2016

Study: Habits of cell phone usage and sperm quality – does it warrant attention?
Israel Created: 22 Feb 2016
Abstract: Male infertility constitutes 30–40% of all infertility cases. Some studies have shown a continuous decline in semen quality since the beginning of the 20th century. One postulated contributing factor is radio frequency electromagnetic radiation emitted from cell phones. This study investigates an association between characteristics of cell phone usage and semen quality.

Questionnaires accessing demographic data and characteristics of cell phone usage were completed by 106 men referred for semen analysis. Results were analysed according to WHO 2010 criteria.

Talking for &#8805;1 h/day and during device charging were associated with higher rates of abnormal semen concentration (60.9% versus 35.7%, P < 0.04 and 66.7% versus 35.6%, P < 0.02, respectively).

Among men who reported holding their phones &#8804;50 cm from the groin, a non-significantly higher rate of abnormal sperm concentration was found (47.1% versus 11.1%).

Multivariate analysis revealed that talking while charging the device and smoking were risk factors for abnormal sperm concentration (OR = 4.13 [95% CI 1.28–13.3], P < 0.018 and OR = 3.04 [95% CI 1.14–8.13], P < 0.027, respectively).

Our findings suggest that certain aspects of cell phone usage may bear adverse effects on sperm concentration. Investigation using large-scale studies is thus needed.
Click here to view the source article.
Source: Reproductive Biomedicine Online, Ariel Zilberlicht et al., Sep 2015

Israel Bans WiFi in Kindergartens and Launches Nationwide info campaign
Israel Created: 22 Sep 2015
As of this fall, Israel and Italy are officially recommending schools reduce children's exposures to wireless radiation. The Israeli Ministry of Health has initiated a major public awareness effort to reduce wireless and electromagnetic radiation exposures to children. In similar action, the Italian State Parliament of South Tyrol voted to allow the application of the precautionary principle to replace existing wireless networks whenever possible with wired networks or those that emit less radiation.

The Israeli Ministry of Health (MoH) recommendations are published in the Environmental Health in Israel Report 201 5 which states that "Precautions should be strictly enforced with regard to children, who are more sensitive to developing cancer."

The Report makes the following points:

Cell Phones : "The MoH recommends sensible use of cellular and wireless technology, including: considering alternatives like landline telephones"

MoH recommendations include: use a speaker or handsfree phone accessory or (nonwireless) personal earphone in order to distance the telephone from the body, reduce the amount and duration of calls, and in areas of weak reception reduce calls because of higher radiation.

Children: MoH recommends: "refraining from installing the base of wireless phones in a bedroom, work room, or children's room."

Schools: Levels of nonionizing radiation were measured in 25 schools nationwide and "based on these findings, the MoEP recommends that students remain at a distance of at least 1.5 meters from electrical cabinets and that use of wireless communication networks in schools be reduced."

Reduce Exposure in Cars: The MoH recommends not using cellphones in closed places like cars or elevators, buses, and trains unless there is an external antenna "due to amplified radiation in such places." "When driving, a handsfree device should be used for calls. It is recommended to install an antenna outside the vehicle and to use a line connection between the telephone and the speaker as opposed to using Bluetooth."

Research: Previous research findings in Israel "clearly indicated a link between cellphone use for more than 10 years and the development of tumors in the salivary glands." Israel is currently a partner in two additional international studies: (1) MOBIKids. a multicenter study involving experts from 16 countries who are examining potential associations between use of communication devices and other environmental factors and risk of brain tumors, and (2) the GERoNiMO (Generalised EMF Research using Novel Methods) project, which uses an integrated approach and expertise from 13 countries to further the state of knowledge on EMF and health.

The Report concludes with a chapter by Linda S. Birnbaum, Director of the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program, who states, "Israel is a world leader in research on the health effects of nonionizing radiation. If some of the studies turn out to be harbingers of things to come, we may have major health consequences from the nearly ubiquitous presence of wireless equipment."

The recently published ISRAEL 2015 RF Safety Report details current actions on EMFS such as:

New Public Education Website: The Israeli government launched the public education website TNUDA (http://www.tnuda.org.il) of the National Information Center for NonIonizing Radiation to guide the public and decision makers on the educated use of technology.

Guidelines for the installation and operation of WiFi networks in schools: Following a petition seeking an outright ban on WiFi in Schools, the government is banning WiFi in kindergartens and restricting hours of use in schools, installing equipment with exposures to be set as low as possible, and monitoring radio frequency (RF) radiation levels.

Government Testing finds that Mobile Phones Violate Manufacturers' Reported SAR: In a study conducted by the Ministry for Environmental Protection and the Holon Institute of Technology, the SAR of 10 models of mobile phones was measured using phantoms. The measured SAR exceeded the SAR declared by the manufacturer, when the phone was held close to the head and in bad reception mode (100% of the maximum power).

ELF EMF limits are recommended at numbers far below international limits. These recommendations were set to account for research showing links to leukemia. "The Ministry of Health (MoH) jointly recommend a threshold of two milligauss on an average annual basis when planning an electrical facility or four milligauss on a daily average." A study performed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and by the Education Ministry has found that in more than 60% of the schools in Israel at least one classroom had magnetic fields exceeding 0.4 ?T. Action was taken to reduce exposure in these schools.

Headsets and safety information required with every new mobile phone: According to a settlement agreement accepted by the Tel AvivYafo District Court in February 2014, cellular operators must inform buyers of new mobile phones about the radiation safety instructions as formulated by the manufacturer, provide a handsfree kit with every new mobile phone, and provide information on the safe use of mobile phones on its website.

National radiofrequency monitoring program: The Ministry of Environmental Protection is operating a national RF monitoring system with stations that continuously measure the entire range of RF and transmit the data to a central computer that analyzes and displays online the results of measurements.

On June 10, 2015, the Italian State Parliament of South Tyrol voted to allow the application of the precautionary principle to cell phones mandating the state government to:

1. To replace existing wireless networks whenever possible with networks that emit less radiation at schools, preschools, hospitals, nursing homes, and other public facilities.

2. Establish a working group whose mandate it is to assess these new technologies and their exposure levels. With regard to wireless communication technologies, mobile Internet access, and public health, the working group shall clarify which technologies emit less radiation and provide sustainable technology options

3. To start an education and awareness campaign that informs about possible health risks, especially regarding the unborn, infants, children, and adolescents and that develops guidelines for a safer use of cell phones, smartphones, and WiFi.

About Environmental Health Trust
Environmental Health Trust (EHT) educates individuals, health professionals and communities about controllable environmental health risks and policy changes needed to reduce those risks. Currently EHT is raising health concerns about wireless in schools and recommending safer hardwired internet connection installations. The foundation's website is the go to place for clear, science based information to prevent disease.

Please visit http://www.EHtrust.org and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EHTrust

For more information on this press release visit:
http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/eht-lauds-israeli-ban-on-wifi-in-kindergarten-and-precautions-of-limits-childrens-exposures-626985.htm
Click here to view the source article.
Source: Digital Journal, press release, 22 Sep 2015

Israeli Supreme Court Rejected the Lawsuit to Ban Wi-Fi In Schools
Israel Created: 29 Apr 2015
Today, April 29th, 2015, after 2 years and 9 months after the petition was submitted, the Israeli Supreme Court decided to reject our lawsuit to ban the use of Wi-Fi in schools. This is the bad news.

It felt that the Court was desperate to reject the lawsuit and despite vast and unequivocal evidence that the Government is lying and misleading the Court, it's experts are providing conflicting statements etc, nevertheless, the Court ruled that it can intervene with Government action only when there is proof of extreme unreasonableness on the part of the Government. And since the government established "experts" committees to examine the issue, then the Court cannot rule that its actions are unreasonable.
The Good news is that when it came to Electrosensitivity – the Court stated that if the Government would not adhere to it's statement that the Ministry of Education will deal with every case of a child with EHS on an individual basis, then the Court wrote that "THE DOORS OF THIS COURT ARE OPEN". However, the court ignored the fact that the government has been ignoring these children in the past 3 years.
We shall definitely use these "Open Doors" to sue on behalf of the sick children.

*SNIP* read the entire article via the source link below...
Click here to view the source article.
Source: EHS Fight Back Blog, Dafna Tachover, Esq., 29 Apr 2015

Effect Of Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Radiation At Mobile Phone Frequency On Human Thyroid Cells
Israel Created: 5 Nov 2013
Background/Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (NIER) at mobile phone frequency on human thyroid cells.

Methods: We cultured samples of normal thyroid tissue and subsequently exposed the cultured thyrocytes to NIER for 3 hours. NIER effects were evaluated in terms of proliferation using a cell viability assay and immunohistochemistry.

Results: We found that NIER exposure for 3 hours has lead to an increased proliferation of thyrocytes in cell viability assay (p=0.007). This result was confirmed by immunohistochemistry with antibodies against Ki67.

Discussion & Conclusion: In this study we present for the first time an in vitro evaluation of NIER effects on human thyroid cells. Our results suggest a proliferative effect of NIER on human thyrocytes, an effect that may link NIER exposure with potential carcinogenesis.

Hilly, Ohad; Silva, Verónica; Mizrachi, Aviram; Ariel, Ortal; Raiter, Annat; Hauptman, Yirmi;
Hardy, Britta; Feinmesser, Raphael
Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel;
Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; 3Gal Safe Ltd., Or Yehuda, Israel
Click here to view the source article.
Source: 2nd World Congress on Thyroid Cancer, Hilly et al., 11 Jul 2013

Palestinian group files petitions to take down mobile masts
Israel Created: 18 Sep 2013
A group of Palestinians has petitioned the High Court to order the removal of some 100 commercial mobile phone towers across the West Bank, claiming that they are placed on Palestinian-owned or disputed land.

Israeli communications minister Gilad Erdan told the army radio network that he asked defence minister Moshe Ya'alon to designate the antennas as vital to security, thereby blocking their dismantling.

The Times of Israel, which reported the story, adds that the towers in question are largely used by Israeli settlers. They belong to Israeli operators Pelephone, Orange and Cellcom. Palestinian people living outside Israel typically use Palestinian phone companies Paltel and Wataniya Palestine Mobile, although some prefer Israeli ones due to their higher connection speeds.
Click here to view the source article.
Source: TelecomPaper.com, 18 Sep 2013

Is Human Saliva an Indicator of the Adverse Health Effects of Using Mobile Phones?
Israel Created: 30 Jul 2013
ABSTRACT: Increasing use of mobile phones creates growing concerns regarding harmful effects of radiofrequency non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation 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&#8201;h 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 nonusers. We report a 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.

Antioxid. Redox Signal. 18, 622–627. doi:10.1089/ars.2012.4751
Click here to view the source article.
Source: Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, Yaniv Hamzany, Raphael Feinmesser, Thomas Shpitzer, Aviram Mizrachi, Ohad Hilly, Roy Hod, Gideon Bahar, Irina Otradnov, Moshe Gavish, and Rafael M. Nagler, 16 Jan 2013

Israeli Supreme Court Ordered Israeli Government to Investigate Number of Children Suffering From EHS
Israel Created: 24 Jul 2013
On July 18, 2013, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the Israeli Government to investigate how many children in Israel already suffer from electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). The Government must submit the result of its investig ation to the court by November 16, 2013.
The Order was issued in response to a Petition to the Israeli Supreme Court to ban Wi-Fi in schools submitted in August, 2012.

This order is the result of an extensive brief written by Attorney Dafna Tachover and submitted to the Court on June 13, 2013. A 65-page brief, supported by 640 pages of appendices, emphasized the problem of EHS and claimed that it is unreasonable to expose children to WiFi when it is proven to cause sickness.

In the Supreme Court hearing, when the Govt. was asked what it would do if a child with EHS attended a school, the attorney for the Gov. answered: “The WiFi will be turned off in the school."

The brief attempted to prove: (1) EHS is an existing illness, caused by EMF; (2) the thermal safety standard was proven false as early as 40 years ago; (3) it is unreasonable to rely on the WHO because it is corrupt; (4) the Govt’s evaluation on the issue was unprofessional and negligent; and (5) the industry intentionally misled the public

Regarding the safety standards the brief claimed that the contention of the Govt. that the existing Israeli standard (1/10 of the Thermal Standard) “Protects with absolute certainty from known adverse health effects” is ridiculous as:

· How can it be protective if people are sick with EHS?

· How can it be protective when thousands of papers prove biological effects?

· How can it be protective when even WHO declared RF a 2B carcinogen?

EHS
The brief emphasized the EHS issue to indicate that the damage already exists. Affidavits from 7 professionals with EHS were provided, including an affidavit of a mother both daughters of whom suffer from EHS, supporting scientific evidence was presented. It was shown that the government did nothing to investigate the issue despite ample notice and legal obligation. In addition, the brief attempted to demonstrate the ridiculousness of the claim that the condition does not exist and/or that it is not proven to be caused by EMF’s.

It should be noted that in Ms. Tachover’s correspondence with the Govt. Committee on the issue of Wi-Fi in schools prior to the submission of the lawsuit, the Committee eventually admitted the existence of EHS – the committee in its final report wrote: “If there is a child with sensitivity to RF radiation, the Ministry will provide a solution on an individual basis”.

What next: On Nov. 16 the Govt. must submit its Answer and the Plaintiffs will have to respond 15 days later. The Court indicated that following the submission of these responses, it intends to reach a decision.

Dafna Tachover Esq. (NY, Israel) MBA
Source: Olle Johansen/Agnes Ingvarsdottir

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