Palestinian Ramming Attack Critically Injures Son of Israeli Ambassador

A Palestinian man killed himself after ramming his car into a security checkpoint on Route 443 in the West Bank on Wednesday. The attack, which occurred at the Maccabim or Bell checkpoint near Beit Horon, critically injured Neria Leiter, a 38-year-old Israeli military reservist. Israeli forces shot and killed the assailant, identified by the Palestinian Health Ministry as 29-year-old Mahmoud Suleiman, as he attempted to flee the scene.

Leiter was evacuated to a hospital in Jerusalem, where he underwent several hours of complex brain surgery. While his condition was later described as stable, medical officials and President Isaac Herzog stated he is still fighting for his life. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the family at the hospital before departing for the United Nations General Assembly.

Ambassador Yechiel Leiter returned to Israel from the United States to be with his son. The family previously lost an older son, Major Moshe Yedidya Leiter, who was killed in Gaza in November 2023. In response to this attack and a prior fatal shooting in Samaria, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir ordered the 98th Division headquarters to take command of the Judea and Etzion brigades to strengthen security capabilities in Judea and Samaria.