The man seriously wounded Wednesday in a terrorist ramming attack near the Maccabim checkpoint in the West Bank was identified as Neriya Leiter, the son of Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter.
Neriya is also the brother of Major (res.) Moshe Yedidyah Leiter, who was killed fighting in Gaza during the war.
Footage of the ramming attack at the checkpoint
Leiter, a member of a police patrol crew, was seriously wounded when a 29-year-old terrorist drove toward a police vehicle at the Bell checkpoint on Route 443 and struck him, police said.
He was evacuated unconscious to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, where he underwent lifesaving treatment before being transferred for further examinations while sedated and ventilated.
The terrorist was killed by forces at the scene.
Terrorist accelerated toward police crew
An initial investigation found that the terrorist had been driving from west to east on a road used by Palestinian traffic when he suddenly veered left, accelerated and attempted to hit a police officer and another patrol crew member standing outside their vehicle.
A soldier stationed at the checkpoint moved toward the terrorist and attempted to neutralize him. According to the initial investigation, the terrorist then tried to strike the soldier as well, after which other troops opened fire and killed him.
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter
(Photo: REUTERS/Ken Cedeno)
The scene of the terror attack
(Photo: Shalev Shalom)
(Photo: Shalev Shalom)
The vehicle used in the attack had previously been ordered off the road.
Police said: “A short time ago, a terrorist drove his vehicle toward a police patrol car from the Judea and Samaria District and ran over one of the crew members, who was seriously wounded. Forces at the scene killed the terrorist. Additional police forces are on their way to the scene and an investigation has begun.”
Official Palestinian sources identified the terrorist as Mahmoud Sliman, 29, from the village of Beit Ur al-Tahta, west of Ramallah.
Shaare Zedek Medical Center said Leiter arrived at its trauma unit unconscious after suffering severe injuries in the ramming.
ID card of the terrorist who carried out the attack at Bell checkpoint
(Photo: United Hatzalah spokesperson’s office)
“He underwent lifesaving treatment in the trauma room and was transferred in serious condition for further examinations while sedated and ventilated,” the hospital said.
Magen David Adom said it received the first report of the attack at 4:54 p.m. after a man was struck by a vehicle on Route 443, west of Beit Horon.
MDA paramedic Yishai Mor and medics Yechiel Frankenhaus and Avraham Lavi said: “We saw a great deal of commotion and a man in his 40s who was unconscious and suffering from severe injuries after being run over. Together with IDF medical forces, we provided lifesaving treatment and evacuated him by MDA ambulance to the hospital in serious condition.”
IDF deploys 98th Division headquarters
Against the backdrop of the latest attacks, the IDF announced an unusual reinforcement of its forces in the West Bank.
The headquarters of the 98th Division will be deployed in the southern West Bank and take command of the Etzion Brigade, a significant move that military officials said has not been carried out in the area in recent years.
The deployment is intended to strengthen command and control in the sector following the recent attacks.
Wednesday’s ramming came three days after Netanel Shukrun, 48, of Alei Zahav, was killed in a shooting attack at the Ein Raya spring in the Binyamin area.
Shukrun had arrived at the spring with his 16-year-old eldest son. When the terrorist opened fire, Shukrun spotted him and shouted a warning to his son, allowing the teenager to escape unharmed.
Shukrun was shot and later pronounced dead at Beilinson Hospital.
The terrorist in that attack was wounded by an IDF tracker at the scene and captured several hours later at a hospital in Ramallah.