Italian
A young Israeli diplomatic couple was shot dead last night in Washington, in front of the Jewish Museum, in an attack that authorities are already calling “anti-Semitic terrorism.” The assailant, Elias Rodriguez, 30 years old, residing in Chicago, was arrested on the spot and now faces the death penalty.
Washington. It was 9:05 PM when Rodriguez opened fire on a group of young Israeli officials as they were leaving an institutional event. Among the victims were Yaron Lischinsky, a 28-year-old diplomat, and his girlfriend Sarah Milgrim, who also worked at the embassy. The two were about to get married.
Witnesses reported that Rodriguez shouted “Free Palestine!” before opening fire. After the ambush, he entered the museum pretending to be a shocked bystander. He was arrested shortly after by the officers, who recovered the weapon based on his information.
According to the Department of Justice, the man acted alone. He was not listed in any database nor under observation. The FBI searched his residence in Albany Park, Chicago, finding items that confirm his pro-Palestinian activism, including political posters and materials related to anti-war causes in Gaza. On the window, there were two posters: one for Wadea, a Palestinian-American child killed in Chicago, and another with the slogan “Tikkun Olam means Free Palestine”.
Rodriguez had previously been associated with a US Marxist party, but there are no recent affiliations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pointed the finger at some European leaders, accusing them of fomenting hatred against Jews. “This attack is a direct result of the toxic propaganda against Israel, also promoted by Western heads of state,” he stated.
The Minister of Diaspora, Amichai Chikli, directly quoted Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Mark Carney, accusing them of “moral complicity” in the climate of hatred that allegedly led to the massacre.
Paris responded firmly, calling the accusations from Tel Aviv “outrageous and unfounded”. France reiterated its “unequivocal commitment to combating antisemitism”. The British Prime Minister expressed solidarity, avoiding controversy. The Canadian Prime Minister also condemned the “unbearable hatred” at the root of the attack.
Security has been immediately reinforced around the White House, Congress, and at sensitive sites nationally and internationally. The FBI is on high alert.
Donald Trump expressed his condolences to Netanyahu in a phone call, reaffirming his support for the war against Hamas and the Israeli strategy in Gaza. “These anti-Semitic killings must end. There is no place for hatred in America,” the former president stated.
Netanyahu has upped the ante: “Gaza is a terrorist state. Those who defend it are on the wrong side of history.”
As the investigation continues, the echo of the attack shakes international politics and reopens deep wounds in the debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
