Border Police
Border PoliceIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Border Guard officers on Wednesday morning put their considerable rescue skills to an unusual purpose: Helping a woman stuck in traffic to get to the hospital, just in time to give birth.

The incident occurred along the busy Ayalon Highway, south of Tel Aviv, on Wednesday morning. The officers noticed a car standing at the side of the road, and stopped to check if the passengers needed help. What they found was a panicked driver who was sitting in the back seat with his wife – who was obviously in very advanced stages of labor.

The couple had been on their way to Wolfson Hospital in Holon, but were held up by a “traditional” Tel Aviv traffic jam – and the baby, apparently, wasn't going to wait for the morning traffic jams to clear up. The driver had attempted to get to a phone, but was unable to before his wife went into labor.

Officers closed one of the lanes, providing the couple with a private path to drive quickly off the expressway, and opened up the way for them on surface streets as well. They accompanied the couple to the entrance of the hospital, where staff quickly took custody of her. Just in time – because minutes later, the mother was holding her new, healthy baby daughter.

The couple profusely thanked the officers, who said that they appreciated the opportunity to use their skills in such a novel and joyous manner.