Israel's US Envoy Condemns Jewish Violence in West Bank

Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, has strongly condemned what he termed "Jewish terrorists" in the West Bank, stating "we must stop them." In an interview with CNN, Leiter discussed his son Neria's severe injuries sustained in a car-ramming attack, describing how the family is "surrounding him with love and prayers 24 hours a day." He also addressed the recent assault on Washington Post reporter Heidi Levine, emphasizing that the violence in the West Bank is "completely unacceptable" and that perpetrators will be brought to justice.

Leiter detailed the brutal attack on his son Neria, who was struck by a car traveling at approximately 90 km/h on Route 443 last month. Neria's head hit a concrete block, necessitating several hours of open-brain surgery. While Neria has shown some improvement and can now breathe independently, he remains in a deep coma from the severe injuries.

Regarding domestic politics, Ambassador Leiter responded to questions about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition aspirations, particularly concerning National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Leiter stated that Netanyahu desires a broad national unity government and clarified that Ben-Gvir would not serve as Defense Minister or resume his role as National Security Minister, characterizing him as a "primarily representative figure" whose influence on actual police policy is limited.

Leiter also addressed the rise in violence in the West Bank, citing statistics that in 2025, 26 Jews were killed by Palestinian terrorists, while two Arabs were killed by Jewish assailants. He estimated the number of Jewish perpetrators to be a marginal group of 50 to 200 out of approximately 600,000 Jewish residents in the West Bank, reiterating, "They must be stopped. They will be arrested. They will be brought to justice."

On foreign policy, Leiter outlined three conditions for regional stability concerning Iran: preventing nuclear weapons, limiting ballistic missiles, and ending support for proxies. He noted Iran's significant financial support to Hezbollah despite its own economic struggles and expressed a desire for the Iranian regime's downfall, stating, "We need to see this regime fall. We need to see the Iranian people... get their country back."

Concluding the interview, Leiter described the relationship between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump as a "deep friendship that has lasted about 40 years," based on his observations during several meetings. He affirmed that Israel does not interfere in U.S. internal politics and highlighted the "excellent relationship between the two men."

Separately, Heidi Levine's daughter, Ashley Milner, reported that her mother underwent surgery for a finger that was nearly severed during the attack. Milner stated that her mother's finger was cut to the bone, exposing the tendon, and that she also suffered a broken rib, fractured vertebrae, and numerous cuts. Levine recounted being kicked for approximately 10 minutes by attackers armed with bottles and slingshots, crediting her helmet and press-marked vest for preventing more severe injuries. Hundreds of former security officials have publicly condemned the attack, calling the perpetrators "Jewish terrorists" and urging a policy change regarding violent settlers.