The son of Israel’s ambassador to the United States was critically injured Tuesday in a car-ramming attack at a West Bank checkpoint, according to Israeli officials and military statements. Neria Leiter, a reservist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), is currently hospitalized at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, where medical teams are fighting to save his life. Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter described the situation as dire, stating his son needs a miracle to survive.
The attack occurred at a security checkpoint near the settlement of Beit Horon in the central West Bank. Israeli forces reported that a Palestinian man rammed his vehicle into the checkpoint, seriously injuring Neria Leiter and another soldier. Security personnel opened fire on the assailant as he attempted to flee, killing him at the scene. Additional military units were deployed to the area in the aftermath.
Neria Leiter’s older brother, Maj. Moshe Yedidya Leiter, was killed in combat in northern Gaza on November 10, 2023, during operations following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack. Ambassador Leiter confirmed that his son continued serving in the IDF reserves after his brother’s death, completing hundreds of reserve duty days since October 7, 2023.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, currently in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, issued a statement expressing solidarity with the Leiter family and the people of Israel. The IDF’s Binyamin Brigade, responsible for operations in the central West Bank, confirmed the attack took place in the Maccabim checkpoint area, west of Ramallah.
The incident has drawn international attention, with diplomatic and security implications amid ongoing tensions in the region. Israeli authorities have not yet released further details about the assailant’s identity or motives. Medical updates on Neria Leiter’s condition are expected to be provided as the situation develops.