Son of Israel's US envoy critically wounded in West Bank car-ramming
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Neria Leiter, son of Israel's ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, was critically wounded in a car-ramming at a West Bank checkpoint on Wednesday. Israeli forces shot dead the Palestinian driver, Mahmoud Suleiman, 29, at the scene. The incident occurred amid ongoing Israeli military operations and a series of attacks in the West Bank.
Key Facts
- Neria Leiter, a reservist and son of Israel's ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, was critically wounded in a car-ramming at a checkpoint near Route 443 on Wednesday.
- Israeli forces shot dead the Palestinian driver, Mahmoud Mohammad Mahmoud Suleiman, 29, from Beit Ur al-Tahta, after he attempted to flee.
- Leiter underwent hours-long emergency brain surgery at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem and remains in serious condition.
- The checkpoint is located near the illegal settlement of Beit Horon west of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
The Attack
A Palestinian driver rammed his vehicle into a police car at a checkpoint near Route 443, which connects Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, on Wednesday. Neria Leiter, a reservist serving alongside a police officer, was critically wounded in the attack. Israeli forces at the scene opened fire on the driver as he attempted to flee, killing him. The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the driver as Mahmoud Suleiman, 29, from the nearby village of Beit Ur al-Tahta.
Medical Response
Leiter was transported unconscious to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. He underwent a multi-hour emergency operation for a severe head injury. Dr. Alon Schwartz, head of the hospital's trauma department, said Leiter's condition has stabilized but remains serious and life-threatening. Ambassador Yechiel Leiter wrote on social media that medical specialists are fighting for his son's life and that Neria needs a miracle.
Context and Aftermath
The checkpoint sits on land in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. Israeli forces sealed off Suleiman's village of Beit Ur al-Tahta and raided his family home after the incident. Israel is withholding Suleiman's body, according to a report by Drop Site News. Neria Leiter had served hundreds of days in the reserves on multiple fronts since October 7, following the death of his older brother Moshe Yedidya Leiter.
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