US envoy returns to Israel as son fights for life after West Bank terror attack

Neria Leiter, the son of Israel’s ambassador to the United States, sustained a critical injury during a vehicle ramming attack at a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli authorities. Serving as an Israeli army reservist at the Maccabim checkpoint, Mr. Leiter was alongside police personnel when a vehicle accelerated towards a joint police-military patrol, striking him.

The Israeli military and police confirmed that the attack occurred in the Binyamin Regional Brigade area. The incident resulted in the driver, identified as Mahmoud Mohammad Sliman, 29, from Beit Ur Al Tahta, being fatally shot by security forces at the scene. Mr. Leiter was swiftly evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Centre in Jerusalem, where he underwent emergency brain surgery, with his life remaining in grave danger.

The Israeli military subsequently deployed additional forces to the West Bank, including the headquarters of its 98th Division, which assumed command of forces in the region. Upon learning of the attack, Ambassador Leiter, who was residing in the United States, promptly returned to Israel to be by his son's side. In a statement on X, the ambassador expressed gratitude for the support of military personnel, medical staff, and individuals praying for his son's recovery.

Tragically, Mr. Leiter's older brother, Moshe Yedidya Leiter, was killed in Gaza in November 2023. Since then, Neria Leiter has completed numerous reserve service days across various fronts.