Son of Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter Critically Injured in West Bank Car-Ramming Attack

Neria Leiter, the son of Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the US, has sustained critical injuries following a car-ramming attack at a checkpoint located in the occupied West Bank, as reported by Israeli authorities.

Operating as an Israeli army reservist alongside police forces at the Maccabim checkpoint, Neria Leiter was struck when a vehicle accelerated toward a joint police-military patrol, according to statements from the Israeli police and military.

"An [Israeli military] reserve soldier was severely injured as a result of the ramming attack at a checkpoint in the Binyamin Regional Brigade," the military stated in a post on X late Wednesday. "The soldier was evacuated to receive medical treatment at a hospital, and his family has been notified."

Security forces present at the incident opened fire and killed the driver, who was identified by Israeli security officials as Mahmoud Mohammad Sliman, 29, hailing from the nearby village of Beit Ur Al Tahta.

Mr Leiter was transported to Shaare Zedek Medical Centre in Jerusalem in serious condition. Hospital officials reported that he underwent several hours of emergency brain surgery and that his life remains in danger.

In response to the incident, the Israeli military deployed additional forces to the West Bank, including the headquarters of its 98th Division, which was assigned command over forces operating in the area.

Ambassador Leiter, who was in the US at the time of the attack, returned to Israel to be by his son's side. "Neria needs a miracle," he wrote in a post on X, expressing gratitude to the military, medical staff, and individuals offering prayers for his recovery.

Neria’s older brother, Moshe Yedidya Leiter, lost his life in Gaza in November 2023. Their father noted that Neria had subsequently served hundreds of days in the reserves across multiple fronts.