Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., April 07, 2008 Nisan 2, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:41 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Ashkelon woman negotiating with Knesset officials after threatening to blow herself up outside compound. (Daniel Bar-On / Jini) Last update - 21:17 06/04/2008 Woman threatens to blow herself up across from Knesset building By Jonathan Lis, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies Tags: suicide, Knesset, Israel A woman drove a van to an access road leading to the Knesset building in Jerusalem on Sunday and threatened to commit suicide by blowing up the vehicle, a police spokesman said. A child, apparently the woman's daughter, was also in the car. The three-hour standoff ended with her peaceful surrender. "She left the vehicle escorted by the director-general of the Knesset," p Advertisement olice spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. "She is going into the Knesset to talk in order to solve her problem." "The woman is not going to be arrested at this time. We will assess the situation," Rosenfeld said after negotiators persuaded her to surrender. Police officers and negotiators were assisted by Knesset Director-General Avi Balashnikov, Trade Minister Eli Yishai and Religious Affairs Minister Yitzhak Cohen were in their efforts to talk with the woman. The woman, a resident of Ashkelon, has demanded that the state assist her in obtaining two wheelchairs for her children. As part of terms to urge the woman out of the car, Balashnikov promised the woman he would help deal with the crisis which drove her to her threats. During their conversation, the woman stayed in her vehicle with the windows closed and held a knife to her neck threatening to slit her throat. Shimon Yair, the woman's friend, told Israel Radio in an interview that the woman has been waging a battle to receive wheelchairs for several years and it appears that she is desperate. Yair added that he really hopes his friend doesn't commit suicide. "She really loves her children and I find it hard to believe that she would cause them harm," he said. The incident was not related to a large-scale civil defense drill that began earlier in the day, Rosenfeld said. "She claims she has a gas canister and said she wants to commit suicide," he said. "Police are on the scene, as well as a negotiation unit." Knesset spokesman Giora Pordes said the van was near an outer barrier on an entry road to the Knesset, near the Finance Ministry as well as other government buildings. There were no immediate plans to evacuate parliament or other institutions, officials said. Related articles: Olmert: Nationwide civil drill not driven by Syria tension IDF beset by series of accidents, suicide Man cleared of causing suicide of prof who wrote of 'Jewish conspiracy' Bookmark to del.icio.us   My gay family Caryn Aviv shares her personal experience as a gay Jewish co-parent. Filmed in battle Second Lebanon War film centers on one man's choice to keep his troop out of harm's way.   1.   More Israeli Terrorism... 14:29  |  POP 06/04/08   2.   A human tragedy....... 16:13  |  Swiss (Dino) 06/04/08   3.   POP. you ain`t Israeli 16:51  |  Protected Civilian 06/04/08   4.   this is the only way,we will get rid of this traitorous regime 16:52  |  chaim 06/04/08   5.   waging a battle to receive wheelchairs for several years ??? 17:52  |  Ines 06/04/08   6.   Pop... is simply not human.... 18:58  |  Ines 06/04/08   7.   Haim, this is not a political protest agains Olmert 19:07  |  Ines 06/04/08   8.   #1 You are a Jerk! 19:26  |  Isac 06/04/08   9.   MOTHER LOVE 20:26  |  TOBIA 06/04/08   10.   No mother should have to go to such....... 21:11  |  Deborah 06/04/08   11.   Desperate Mother 21:52  |  Ilana 06/04/08   12.   Response -- Mother Love Yes I do agree 22:25  |  Ines 06/04/08   13.   Deborah -- No human being should go through all that 22:28  |  Ines 06/04/08   14.   Think thrice when next donating charity 23:19  |  Nuchem 06/04/08   15.   to # 7 23:26  |  chaim 06/04/08   16.   Hope she will end up in jail for terror 02:01  |  morgan latte 07/04/08   17.   From JPost... 03:07  |  Gabriel 07/04/08   18.   Don`t hold your breath Deborah, no good deed goes 03:27  |  Trotzky 07/04/08   19.   Don`t hold your breath Deborah, no good deed goes 03:27  |  Trotzky 07/04/08   20.   It`s not only Israel Ines. Millions are hard pressed all over the 04:30  |  world. I too 07/04/08   21.   What if she had been Arab? 06:28  |  J 07/04/08   22.   If she were Arab she would have blown herself up without warning 08:08  |  x-ray 07/04/08   23.   Gabriel 10:38  |  Ilana 07/04/08

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