Family asks for prayers as IDF soldier’s condition deteriorates

The soldier was shot in the head during a terror attack a year and a half ago.

By Josh Plank, World Israel News

The family of wounded IDF soldier Netanel Felber has again asked the public to pray for his recovery after the recent deterioration in his condition, Arutz 7 reports.

Felber suffered a near-fatal head injury when he was shot by a terrorist at the Givat Assaf Junction in Samaria on December 13, 2018.

Felber underwent a cranioplasty this past Wednesday, just four days before his 23rd birthday. After the surgery, he suffered seizures and had to be intubated.

An emergency prayer vigil was held Thursday at the Western Wall for his recovery. In accordance with the Jewish tradition of praying for the ill, the family has provided Felber’s Hebrew name, Netanel Ilan ben Shayna Tzipora.

According to Judi Felber, Netanel’s mother, his condition had been improving since the attack. “The bullet came in from the right and exited from the left. It is a miracle that he is alive. There are problems on the right side of the brain, but most problems are caused by the injury on the left.”

“He manages to move all his limbs, the arms and legs, which is good. He can’t move them loads. But no one can really say what will be with a head injury, no one knows,” she said.

Two of Felber’s fellow soldiers, Yosef Cohen and Yovel Mor Yosef, were both killed in the December 2018 attack. All three served in the Netzah Yehuda Kfir Brigade, a special unit for religious soldiers. Civilian Shira Sabag was also wounded in the attack.

Asam Barghouti, son of BDS movement co-founder Omar Barghouti, later confessed to carrying out the attack during which he got out of his car and opened fire on people standing at a bus stop.

Asam Barghouti also confessed to committing a similar attack with his brother Salah a few days earlier in which the unborn child of Shira Ish-Ran was killed. Salah Barghouti was shot dead while resisting arrest by the IDF.