Washington shooting: ‘This goes to the heart of one of the most intractable problems of our time’
A man has been arrested after a young Jewish couple were shot dead in Washington, with Israel’s government blaming recent backlash to its actions in Gaza for the killing.
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In brief…
- Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, employees of the Jerusalem embassy, were killed outside a Jewish museum by a man who was later seen chanting “free Palestine” as he was arrested. .
- An Israeli minister has blamed Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney for the killing, following an open letter condemning Israel’s aid blockade in Gaza.
- The News Agents say Israel’s ongoing destruction of the country, and its response to any criticism may have ended all the goodwill towards the country after the October 7 massacre.
What’s the story?
A man has been arrested for the killing of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, two employees of the Jerusalem embassy who were shot dead outside a Jewish museum in Washington on Wednesday night.
The two, 30 and 26, were a couple, with reports suggesting Yaron had bought a ring with plans to propose to his partner.
A man, Elias Rodriguez, 30, of Chicago, has been arrested. Video footage has emerged of him chanting "free Palestine" after the shooting.
"This couple were killed either for being Jewish or for their connection to the Israeli embassy in Washington," says Emily Maitlis.
"It is assassination."
The gun attack took place at an event themed around responding to humanitarian crises in the Middle East and Gaza. Eye-witnesses told the BBC that the suspected gunman initially sought shelter inside the venue, where he was offered support from those attending, unaware he was the perpetrator.
The incident has been condemned by Keir Starmer, who has said: "Antisemitism is an evil we must stamp out wherever it appears."
It comes days after the UK's Labour government joined France and Canada in publishing an open letter condemning Israel's blocking of aid reaching Palestinian people in Gaza, despite warnings of imminent starvation from the UN and a flood of photos of malnourishing, skeletal children being shared across the media.
And Israel officials have said Starmer, plus France and Canada leaders Emmanual Macron and Mark Carney, are directly responsible for the Washington killings.
Have the killings already been politicised?
Lewis Goodall says Israel "rushed" to blame the countries who stood up to its actions this week, with Emily Maitlis adding that to many people, the wording and timing of the letter was "way too late and was way too little."
Israel's minister of diaspora and combating antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, has said Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Mark Carney have "emboldened the forces of terror", adding their cowardice had resulted in a price being paid in "Jewish blood".
Lewis says it is "disturbing" to blame western world leaders for this antisemitic killing – given Israel's actions since the Hamas terror attack of October 7 2023.
"For the Israeli government to turn around and point the finger at those words of Starmer, Macron, Carney and others, and yet take no account whatsoever of the power of their own words, let alone their actions in Gaza, is a form of double-think for the ages," he says.
Earlier this month, a senior Israeli minister spoke about plans to "completely destroy" Gaza, and said it would only permit the bare minimum of food and supplies to enter the country, just to ensure there would be no further allegations of war crimes.
"No violence against these two young, innocent Jewish people, about to start their careers and their lives, can ever be justified," Lewis adds.
"That is entirely tragic, but for the Israeli government to hold others to account for the power of their words, whilst doing nothing to reflect on the power of their own I think is pretty outrageous."
Lewis adds there is no "credible or conceivable way" in which Western governments can be held responsible for what happened in Washington.
"What is particularly tragic is that these two young people will have family and friends, and already – without skipping a beat – the politics began, partly at the Israeli government," he adds.
"The idea that Keir Starmer, Macron or Carney have been responsible for or willing to encourage antisemitism is outrageous and absurd."
Anti-Israel sentiment versus antisemitism
After 1,200 people were killed in a Hamas attack on Israel in 2023, Israel launched an invasion of Gaza, stating its intentions were to eliminate the terror group and free hostages taken.
This was just the latest in violent and bloody clashes between the two countries that dates back decades.
More than 50,000 people have been killed as a result of Israel's retaliation.
Earlier this week, The News Agents discussed how in the months since Israel's war began, its government has claimed any criticism of its actions were due to antisemitism.
Both agree the killing in Washington was an act of antisemitism.
"This goes to the heart of one of the most intractable problems of our time, which is that space in between anti-semitism and anti-Israeli government policy," says Emily.
"This was an action against two Jews at a Jewish event who were targeted, not for anything that they had personally said or done, but because they were representative of the Jewish community in Washington.
"That was always going to be an act of antisemitism."
She says the shouting of the 'free Palestine' slogan adds an extra layer of complication to the political nature of the situation.
"The letter from the three governments was about Israeli government policy, not Jews, but the people who were attacked today were Jews," she adds.