USA: Two Israeli diplomats murdered near Jewish Museum, suspect shouted "Free Palestine"
Two workers at the Israeli Embassy in the United States were shot dead near the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. According to the Israeli Ambassador, they were a couple who were planning to get married soon.
Police said the suspected shooter, who is in custody, chanted slogans about a free Palestine after his arrest. US President Donald Trump called the attack obviously antisemitic and said hate and radicalism have no place in the USA.
“Two employees of the Israeli Embassy were senselessly killed this evening [Wednesday evening local time] in Washington [D.C.]. We are actively investigating and working on acquiring more information,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Noem posted to X.
Reuters reported that the shooting transpired near the Jewish Museum where an event was being held Wednesday evening and also in the vicinity of the office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The couple, according to the head of police in Washington, D.C., Pamela Smith, had just left the event at the museum when they became the target of the shooting.
Israeli Ambassador to the USA Yechiel Leiter, according to The Times of Israel, said the victims were a couple who planned to marry: “Last week the man bought a ring with the intention of asking her for her hand in marriage next week in Jerusalem.” Israeli Minister for the Diaspora, Amichai Chikli, identified the murdered man as Yaron Lischinsky.
On his LinkedIn page, Lischinsky posted that he believes in the expanded peace agreements with the Arab neighbors of Israel and in regional collaboration in the interest of Israel and the Middle East as such. “For that purpose I support interreligious and intercultural dialogue,” he posted.
Police arrested a man whom they have identified as Elias Rodriguez (30). Once arrested, the suspect chanted “Free Palestine, Free Palestine”, Reuters reports Smith as stating.
According to the Associated Press, Smith said that after firing his gun, the man walked into the museum, where security arrested him. “These horrible murders in Washington [D.C], which are obviously based in antisemitism, must end. Right now! There is no place in the USA for hate and radicalism. Condolences to the families of the victims,” Trump posted in response to news of the shooting on his social media site, Truth Social.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon called the shooting a “rotten act of antisemitic terrorism.” He posed to X that “Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line. We are convinced that the American authorities will take decisive steps against the persons responsible for this crime.”
