Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter is abruptly returning to Israel ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) after learning that his son, IDF reservist Neria Leiter, was critically wounded in a Palestinian terrorist attack.
The ambassador revealed on social media that doctors are “fighting to save the life” of his son after a car ramming at the Maccabim (Bell) checkpoint in Samaria earlier in the day.
“I am grateful to the IDF, to the medical team at Shaare Zedek who are now fighting to save the life of Neria Dov ben Chana [Leiter], and for the prayers of the people of Israel,” he wrote.
“I believe in the power of prayer, and I believe that when the people of Israel unite, miracles happen,” Leiter underscored. “Neria needs a miracle.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Leiter family at the hospital before departing for New York to speak at the UNGA on Thursday.
Video footage of the attack showed a white vehicle accelerating rapidly, directly striking Neria Leiter, who was thrown several feet. The terrorist was shot dead shortly after by IDF forces, identified as Mahmoud Mohammad Sliman, who lived in the nearby Arab village Beit Ur al-Tahta.
Neria Leiter arrived at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center trauma unit in Jerusalem, receiving hours-long emergency brain surgery. Doctor Alon Schwartz, in a statement, detailed that the most severe injury was to Leiter’s head, adding that while his condition has been stabilized by multiple medical teams, his life is “still in danger.”
The Ambassador’s eldest son, Moshe Yedidya Leiter, was killed in combat in Gaza on November 10th 2023, one month after the October 7th Hamas massacre that ignited the war.
“Neria continued to serve in the reserves after losing his older brother, Moshe Yedidya Leiter, of blessed memory. Since October 7th, he has served hundreds of days in the reserves on multiple fronts,” the ambassador highlighted on Wednesday. “Palestinian terrorism seeks to uproot the people of Israel from their land. They choose death – we choose life.”
Following the death of his eldest son in 2023, Leiter recounted telling the Prime Minister: “Bibi, my son’s blood was not shed in vain. Finish this job. Don’t let any pressure in the world stop you. Because the only consolation of this loss is banishing evil.”
Erick Stakelbeck, host of The Watchman Newscast and Stakelbeck Tonight, issued an urgent prayer request in response to the news of the car-ramming attack that seriously injured Neria Leiter.
“Please, everyone, stop what you’re doing for just a few seconds and say a prayer for Neria Leiter,” he said in a short video message. “He is the son of Israel’s ambassador to the United States, my friend, Yechiel Leiter.”
“Yechiel is a great man. His son is an IDF soldier, bravely serving his country,” Stakelbeck noted. “He was critically wounded today in a car ramming by a Palestinian terrorist at a checkpoint in Judea and Samaria. He’s fighting for his life right now.”
“Yechiel was supposed to attend the speech of Prime Minister Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He’s now flying back to Israel, rushing back to be by his son’s side,” he detailed. “His condition is very grave, folks. He needs your prayers.”
“We serve a God of miracles,” Stakelbeck underscored. “Lift him up to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob right now.”
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, wrote, “Pray for Yechiel Leiter & entire family. They lost a son in Gaza killed by Hamas. Now a Palestinian terrorist attempts to murder IDF soldiers at a checkpoint.”
Huckabee’s daughter, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, added: “We serve a powerful God who is capable of performing miracles. This family has endured unspeakable tragedy since the death of Neria’s older brother several years ago, and our prayers are with them.”
This is a developing story…
