Snakebitten!
A 20 year old member of the elite Air Force Shaldag commando unit was rushed to the Hillel Yafa Medical Center in Hadera with an apparent snake bite, as according to the Magen David Adom driver, he had bite marks on his neck. He was rushed to the hospital in an unstable condition, but after arriving at the hospital was given a sedative and placed on a respirator and has since stabilized. The soldiers who brought him to the hospital indicated the snake was venomous.
The local venomous snake Israel has is the viper palastinae. “They grow to an average length of 36 inches and are mainly nocturnal. Their venom contains a hematoxin that damages blood circulation and the lymphatic system. They generally feed on small rodents, toads, and birds.”
Two other men were bitten on Friday and Saturday “after being bitten by venomous snakes near Netanya and Michmoret, according to medical officials.”
Here’s hoping and praying that all three men recover from their wounds completely.
(Source: The Times of Israel)
