Drama is the word being used to describe Sunday’s latest violent incident in an Israeli hospital, this time in Wolfson Hospital in Rechovot. A relative of a patient threatened doctors and nurses with a handgun.

After reviewing the patient’s chart, the doctors decided the man, in his 90s, who received a new pacemaker a day earlier, no longer required ICU care, ordering him transferred to a regular unit.

According to Wolfson’s Dr. Jackie Ashrov, who represents the doctors union, the family became agitated when doctors and nurses told them the patient was being moved out of ICU, insisting this cannot be done. The medical staff explained he was fine, adding there was a patient in the emergency room who did indeed require the ICU bed. The family objected and one of them began shouting, verbally expressing his adamant refusal to accept their decision.

At this point, one of them lifted his shirt, exposing a handgun, telling a doctor “I also have power”. Security was summoned, and the man realized they were on their way and ran, but he was apprehended and turned over to police.

Dr. Ashrov is demanding lawmakers legislate a law that would equate a violent attack against medical personnel with a terror incident.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)