Israeli Ambassador to US Rushes Home as Son Fights for Life After Terror Attack

Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yehiel Leiter returned to Israel on Thursday, September 24, after his son, Neria, was critically injured in a terror attack at the Maccabim checkpoint on Route 443. Neria, a reservist in the IDF, remains in severe condition at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, with doctors stating the immediate threat to his life persists. Ambassador Leiter was scheduled to accompany Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to New York for the UN General Assembly but immediately departed the U.S. upon hearing of his son's injuries. Speaking to reporters at the hospital where Neria underwent multiple surgeries overnight, Leiter expressed his initial fear of arriving without hope, but relief that his son's condition had stabilized. He emphasized, however, that Neria's state remains very serious and the family is praying for his recovery. Leiter learned of the attack shortly after an interview in New York discussing violence in Judea and Samaria, while preparing for Netanyahu's trip. Neria sustained a severe head injury and multiple other wounds, arriving at the hospital unconscious. Dr. Alon Schwartz, head of the trauma unit, described the injuries as critical, with the head trauma being the most severe. Despite stabilization after several surgeries, Schwartz stated, "With such injuries, one cannot say there is no threat to life. We are still fighting for his life." Neria is in intensive care, with social workers and psychologists supporting his family. This incident marks a tragic recurrence for the Leiter family; nearly three years prior, in November 2023, Neria's older brother, Major (res.) Moshe Yedidya Leiter, was killed in combat in northern Gaza. The ambassador noted the stark contrast between the news of Moshe's death and Neria's current critical state. Neria had resumed reserve duty after his brother's death, having served hundreds of days on various fronts since October 7, 2023. Amidst the crisis, the family experienced a moment of joy as Ambassador Leiter's eldest daughter, Sarah, who was visiting her brother and in the final weeks of her pregnancy, went into labor at the same hospital and gave birth to a baby girl. The new mother and infant are now located about 40 meters from Neria's intensive care unit. The attack occurred on September 23 when a vehicle rammed into Neria Leiter, a reservist soldier, at the Maccabim checkpoint. IDF forces on site returned fire and neutralized the attacker, identified as 29-year-old Mahmoud Mohammad Suleiman from Beit Ur al-Tahta. The IDF subsequently announced increased forces in Judea and Samaria, deploying the 98th Division headquarters to the area to enhance defensive and offensive capabilities.