US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Wednesday evening called for prayers for Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and his family, stating that the Leiter family lost a son in Gaza, killed by Hamas, and that a Palestinian terrorist is currently attempting to kill IDF soldiers at a checkpoint. Huckabee expressed his solidarity with Leiter.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Wednesday evening called for prayers for Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and his family, stating that the Leiter family 'lost a son in Gaza, killed by Hamas' and that a Palestinian terrorist is currently attempting to kill IDF soldiers at a checkpoint. Huckabee expressed solidarity, saying 'we stand with Yechiel Leiter.' The statement is the latest development concerning the Leiter family.
Earlier Wednesday evening, at 20:02 Jerusalem time, The Zioneer reported that Nerya Leiter, son of Ambassador Leiter, was seriously wounded in a car-ramming terror attack in the Judea and Samaria District. Israel Police said the terrorist struck a police patrol vehicle carrying an officer and a soldier during a joint operation. Simultaneously, i24NEWS reported that Ambassador Leiter was returning to Israel. The Zioneer updated Ambassador Leiter's topic page at 20:43 Jerusalem with this information.
Huckabee has a history of strong support for Israel. As The Zioneer reported on July 11, 2026, Huckabee signed the permanent embassy land agreement in Jerusalem, and on June 21, 2026, he warned that Iran's ultimate goal is the destruction of the United States, calling Israel merely the 'appetizer.' His latest statement aligns with his consistent advocacy for Israeli officials during security crises.
The details of Huckabee's statement diverge from the known facts in this thread. While the Leiter family's son Nerya was wounded in a terror attack, Huckabee referenced a son killed in Gaza, a claim that has not been independently corroborated. Additionally, his mention of an ongoing attempt by a Palestinian terrorist to kill soldiers at a checkpoint has not been confirmed by Israeli security sources at this hour.
3 developments
- StrongAmbassador Leiter at son's bedside: 'We are full of hope he will return to us healthy and whole'
- DevelopingUS Ambassador Huckabee: Iran demands Israel end border defense, proposes deporting Hezbollah and Hamas to Iran
- StrongYarden Bibas, US Ambassador Huckabee plant trees for murdered Bibas family
- DevelopingUS Ambassador Huckabee: Iran-backed Hamas violently suppressed Friday protests in Gaza
Source and signal
- Open-source intake