First Lady Nechama Rivlin is reported to be in stable condition, sedated and breathing with the assistance of a respirator, according to doctors at Beilinson Medical Center in Petach Tikvah, where she is hospitalized following a sudden deterioration in her health.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein has asked the public to pray for the speedy and complete recovery of Nechama bat Drora.
President Reuven Rivlin cut short his state visit to Canada and was returning to Israel to be with his wife. He was expected to travel directly from the airport to the hospital upon his arrival to be by her side.
“For the last few hours, Nechama has been sedated and is on respiratory support because of severe shortness of breath due to cardiac complications,” said the president’s office in a statement on Tuesday evening.
Last month the First Lady underwent a complicated lung transplant operation because of her medical condition. Since then, she has been undergoing a long and complex process of recovery.
President Rivlin held a working meeting Tuesday with Premier Doug Ford of Canada, ahead of the Israel-Canada Business Forum which both attended.
The president thanked the premier for his friendship, and his work to create closer relationships between the Israeli and Canadian business communities. He also noted the premier’s strong stance against anti-Semitism, saying “What you do to combat anti-Semitism isn’t just important for the Jewish community.
“Anti-Semitism and xenophobia affect the whole world. We no longer live in a world of right and left, but rather of right and wrong. You are on the right side.”
President Rivlin also opened the Israel-Canada Business Forum on Tuesday morning. The event was attended by a delegation of senior business leaders who are accompanying the president on his visit.
In order to explore possibilities of widening the existing cooperation between the two countries, representatives of Israeli and Canadian companies in the fields of health, homeland security, fintech, cyber and energy, participated in the forum.