Iranian patient's father thanks Jews

VIDEO - "I can't thank the Jewish people enough for all the love and support we've been getting," said the father of the Iranian boy flown to Israel for emergency brain surgery over the weekend.

The 13-year-old arrived in Israel from Turkey on Friday, after Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit and the Shin Bet gave an ex-gratia authorization to the move, due to his grave medical condition.

Video courtesy of Infolive.tv

A special authorization was required as Iranian citizens, who are essentially residents of an enemy state, are forbidden from entering Israel.

The boy's father and grandmother stayed by his side at the Safra Children's Hospital, a facility adjacent to the Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, throughout the weekend.

"I ask you, all of you, to pray for my son. A father's love for his son goes beyond borderlines and religion... It is important to me that you know that the majority of Iranians don't hate Israel. We are all people and we all have the same feelings.

"All I want now is to hear my son's laughter again. I'm sure any parent in my condition would do anything they can to save their child. My wife and my baby daughter are waiting for us back in Tehran. We are all praying for the best," he added.

The boy underwent an extensive battery of tests since arriving at the Safra Hospital. "The tests have shown that the disease has spread throughout his brain, the central nervous system and the spinal cord," Prof. Amos Toren, head of Hemato-Pediatric Oncology Unit, told Yedioth Ahronoth.

"His condition is too grave for us to operate on him, so we're trying aggressive chemotherapy, in hopes that it would help."

Prof. Zeev Rothstein, chief administrator of the Sheba Medical Center, added that "the boy's chances are rather slim, but there are always surprises. It's too early to be pessimistic. We're not going to give up so easily."

Nurit Felter contributed to this report