A Palestinian assailant seriously wounded Neria Leiter, 38, the son of Israeli ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter, in a car-ramming attack in the West Bank on Wednesday. The attack occurred at the Maccabim checkpoint on Route 443, where Neria was serving as an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reservist. A joint police-IDF patrol was present at the scene, and troops shot and killed the attacker, identified as 29-year-old Mahmoud Mohammad Suleiman from the nearby Palestinian village of Beit Ur al-Tahta.
Neria Leiter suffered a severe head injury and was taken unconscious to Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center, where he was sedated and ventilated. His father, Yechiel Leiter, had been set to accompany Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his participation in the high-level opening session of the UN General Assembly on Thursday. Instead, he flew to Israel to be with his son. Yechiel Leiter expressed his faith in the power of prayer and the unity of the people of Israel, writing that "miracles happen" when they come together.
The attack came three days after a Palestinian gunman killed an Israeli father of six, Netanel Shukron, near Neve Tzuf, northwest of Ramallah. This incident is part of a recent spate of attacks in the West Bank. Following Wednesday's ramming attack, the IDF announced additional reinforcements in the West Bank, including the deployment of the 98th Division headquarters to the area. This move aims to enhance security and prevent further attacks.
Neria Leiter continued serving in the reserves after his older brother, Major Moshe Yedidya Leiter, was killed in Gaza in November 2023. His father said Neria has served hundreds of days on multiple fronts since the deadly Hamas raids that launched the war on October 7. In a May post on social media, Neria wrote about the difficulty of returning to combat as a bereaved brother, but expressed his commitment to defending his home.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Leiter family in the hospital before leaving for New York, issuing a message asking the public to pray for Neria's recovery. "The entire nation is with you," Netanyahu wrote on X. The Israeli embassy in Washington also released a statement, with spokesperson Tal Naim recalling that she had been with the ambassador in New York when he received the news of his son's injury.
Yechiel Leiter also spoke about the "unimaginable reality" Israel has been living with, saying that despite efforts to prevent mass bombings, Israel still faces accusations of committing genocide. In the context of his son's injury, Leiter emphasized that "Palestinian terrorism seeks to uproot the people of Israel from their land" and that "they choose death – we choose life."
The incident has sparked an outpouring of support for Neria Leiter, with many calling for prayers for his recovery. The attack serves as a reminder of the ongoing tensions and security concerns in the West Bank. As the situation continues to unfold, the international community remains vigilant, monitoring developments in the region.
Key points
- Neria Leiter, son of Israel's US ambassador, seriously injured in West Bank ramming attack
- Attack occurred at Maccabim checkpoint on Route 443 while Neria served as IDF reservist
- Israeli authorities deploy additional reinforcements in West Bank following attack
