Kalandia Checkpoint, Israel – United Hatzalah senior staff members Eli Pollack and Zeev Sofer were returning from a fruitful meeting with United Hatzalah leaders in Tel Zion and Kochav Yaakov. Security coordinators from the IDF, police and local first response units discussed the growing unrest in the general Binyamin area. Pollack urged greater inter-agency cooperation via the Moskowitz LifeCompass center. The IDF medical services coordinator was particularly interested in getting the units under his command hooked into the system just as the 669 medevac unit is involved. The system helps rescue units locate an incident via GPS coordinates and directs the nearest appropriate resources safely to the scene. Little did the United Hatzalah medics know that they would soon be in need of a rescue of their own.

Pollack and Sofer left the meeting on their way to another United Hatzalah event in Petach Tikvah. They were in clearly marked United Hatzalah ambulance heading towards route 443. As they passed the Kalandia junction a hail of rocks began pounding the ambulance. Arab vehicles effectively blocked forward progress of the ambulance as rock throwers brazenly closed in on the ambulance. Sofer contemplated pressing the “panic button” on his LifeCompass enabled communication device but decided that it would be wiser not bring more resources into the mayhem. Pollack wrenched the steering wheel hard to the left through a low fence and over the road divider and into the opposing lane. The lane was thankfully clear but Pollack flipped on the flashing red roller lights to announce their presence to oncoming cars and soldiers manning the nearby roadblock. They wanted to avoid another friendly fire incident similar to one that occurred last week when a driver pulled the same maneuver and was shot and seriously wounded by soldiers who felt threatened by the erratic driving.

When they got the Kalandia checkpoint and exited the vehicle they were amazed at the extent of the damage to the ambulance and the expensive equipment inside. One of the huge rocks punched out the side window and loosened a metal supply cabinet from its moorings. The lifesaving defibrillator/monitor was tossed about and severely damaged. Additional damage was caused by other rocks and Pollack’s creative but lifesaving driving. Pollack gave thanks to Hashem for their miraculous escape from harm.

(YWN Desk – NYC)