Son of Israeli ambassador to US critically injured in occupied West Bank

The son of Israel's ambassador to the United States, Neria Leiter, has been critically injured in an attack at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank. The incident occurred when a vehicle rammed a joint police-military patrol, striking the 26-year-old army reservist. Neria, who was at the Maccabim checkpoint with the Israeli police, was severely injured and subsequently evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Centre in Jerusalem, where he underwent emergency brain surgery.

His life remains in danger, according to the hospital. The attacker, identified as Mahmoud Mohammad Sliman, 29, from the village of Beit Ur Al Tahta, was killed by security forces at the scene. The Israeli military responded by deploying additional forces to the West Bank, including the headquarters of its 98th Division. Ambassador Leiter, who was in the United States at the time of the attack, immediately returned to Israel to be by his critically injured son's side.

"Neria needs a miracle," he expressed in a statement on X, thanking the military, medical staff, and those praying for his recovery. Neria's older brother, Moshe Yedidya Leiter, was killed in Gaza in November 2023. Since then, Neria had served hundreds of reserve duty days on multiple fronts.