Zinman family from Shvut Rachel. Matan is to the left
Zinman family from Shvut Rachel. Matan is to the leftCourtesy of the family

The six-year-old boy who was killed in an accident on Highway 60 near the Ma’ale Levona junction on Wednesday evening is Matan Zinman from the town of Shvut Rachel in the Binyamin region.

Matan was supposed to begin first grade in a month.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a Palestinian Arab vehicle crossed into the opposite lane and collided head-on with the vehicle in which Zinman was traveling with his mother and three brothers.

The mother, Rivka Zinman, and her four children were all evacuated for treatment at hospitals in Jerusalem. Matan arrived at the hospital in critical condition. Doctors fought for hours to save his life, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

The mother is in moderate condition, a 12-year-old girl is in serious condition, a 10-year-old boy is moderately injured and a six-month-old baby is lightly injured.

Rivka Zinman, who was driving the car with her children, said from the hospital on Wednesday evening, "We were driving on Highway 60 to a family gathering in Ariel. Suddenly a white Palestinian car emerged from the opposite lane and sped in front of me. I slowed down but the Palestinian car sped up. I realized it was going to hit me head-on and I was unable to stop. The collision was at an enormous speed. I lost my Matan to Arab terrorism on the road."

The professional teams of the Binyamin Regional Council and the community of Shvut Rachel are looking after the needs of the family and the community. Social workers are accompanying the family members in the various hospitals.