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More Attacks Like the Embassy Murders and CO Firebombing Are Coming Unless We Change Our Anti-Terror Strategy
Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim who were shot and killed as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, pose for a picture at an unknown location, in this handout image released by Embassy of Israel to the US on May 22, 2025. Photo: Embassy of Israel to the USA via X/Handout via REUTERS
On May 21, 2025, Elias Rodriguez approached two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and murdered them in cold blood. Just hours earlier, he had posted a 900-word manifesto online that justified violent political “escalation” in the name of Gaza, framed the impending attack as legitimate protest, and called for more “armed demonstrations.”
Less than two weeks later, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national living illegally in the US, set several pro-Israel demonstrators on fire near a mall in Boulder, CO. Twelve people were injured, including several elderly participants and a Holocaust survivor. Soliman later admitted to targeting “Zionist people” and claimed that he had planned the attack for over a year.
While these incidents differed in method (one attacker used a gun, the other a flamethrower) and in communication strategy (one published a manifesto, the other did not), both represent not just failures of intelligence, but failures of imagination. These attacks expose outdated methods for tracking threats, systems that fail to account for the role of radicalized language in the digital age, and social media platforms’ reluctance to share critical data necessary to detect and address these risks.
For decades, counterterrorism has focused almost exclusively on tracking networks: chatter between suspects, coordinated plots, and ties to extremist groups. These threats are real, but today’s most urgent danger comes from individuals radicalized in isolation, often online. They don’t need a group or a leader. They don’t signal affiliation or send encrypted messages. Instead, they broadcast their ideology openly.
Rodriguez and Soliman fit this pattern. Neither was a member of a known extremist group, nor did they use ciphers or communicate surreptitiously on back-channel applications. Rodriguez’s manifesto was a clear, public statement of intent to carry out an attack, while Soliman’s attack was driven by over a year of ideological hatred. Both follow a pattern seen in other lone-actor attacks like Pittsburgh (2018), Christchurch (2019), and Halle (2019). In each of these tragedies, the manifesto or incitement was discovered only after the killings. Each time, we promised to learn — but each time, we missed the same signals.
These attacks were also a byproduct of obsolete detection methods. While enormous resources go into tracking invisible networks, far too little attention is paid to what is being said online and in person — the words and sentences that reflect dangerous ideologies. Violent extremists often use dehumanizing language to justify murder, but their rhetoric is often dismissed as mere speech (and protected speech, at that).
Rodriguez’s manifesto was ignored until after the violence occurred. Soliman’s attack, while not preceded by a written screed, was the result of sustained ideological incitement. Still, each case demonstrates why we cannot continue to treat incitement as just noise. Dangerous fantasies of “resistance” and glorified violence circulate online every day, often unchecked and without consequence.
Further complicating the matter are online platforms that continue to restrict access to the very data that researchers, civil society, and policymakers rely on to monitor and prevent these threats. Under the guise of protecting privacy or free speech, they enable opacity. People are getting hurt — and dying — as a result.
Make no mistake: free speech and privacy are essential to any democracy. However, these ideals become untenable when they shield violent content, allowing it to spread unchecked. The belief that all speech is equal and non-predictive is naive. History has shown us that hate speech often precedes violence. From the Holocaust to Rwanda, we know that such rhetoric prepares the ground for action.
In a world where lone-actor violence is escalating, and incitement to violence is more openly visible than ever, the solution is multifaceted. We must change the way we listen by investing in systems and disciplines that can analyze not just slurs or buzzwords, but ideological narratives, dehumanizing metaphors, and escalating rhetoric. This includes AI capable of detecting patterns, and fields like psycholinguistics and discourse analysis, which examine radicalization as a communicative process, not just a network-based phenomenon.
We can achieve this while striking the right balance between free speech and public safety. By prioritizing the content of speech over the identity of the speaker, we can monitor threats while upholding the same legal standard we apply offline, where speech is protected until it becomes a credible, imminent threat. At that point, the state not only has the right — but the obligation — to act.
Rodriguez told us what he was going to do. His words were public, unencrypted, and visible for all to see. Soliman’s attack, though not preceded by a manifesto, was the result of ideological incitement. In each case, we failed to act.
If we continue relying on antiquated tracking methods, treating hate speech as background noise, and looking the other way as platforms restrict the very data we need to track incitement, we will remain blind to the threats emerging right in front of us. We need to listen differently, adapt our methods, and invest in the right tools before the next manifesto becomes another obituary.
Matthias J. Becker is a visiting fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute and leads Decoding Antisemitism at the University of Cambridge.
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Israeli Cruise Ship Targeted Again as Pro-Palestinian Protests Escalate in Greece
Greek riot police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters near the port of Rhodes during a demonstration targeting an Israeli cruise ship. Photo: Screenshot
Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with Greek riot police on Monday on the island of Rhodes as they attempted to block an Israeli cruise ship from docking at the island’s main port.
The MS Crown Iris — operated by Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime — was once again targeted by anti-Israel activists this week.
Demonstrations against the war in Gaza took place during the ship’s scheduled stop on the island, where more than 600 passengers were set to disembark.
According to videos circulating on social media, riot police can be seen confronting a group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered near the dock, who shouted antisemitic slogans like “Freedom for Palestine.”
As authorities worked to control the crowd, tensions escalated and brief clashes broke out.
Ένταση στο λιμάνι της Ροδου με την άφιξη Ισραηλινών τουριστών, πολλες προσαγωγές.
Συνελήφθη υποψήφια βουλευτής της Πλεύσης ελευθερίας. pic.twitter.com/gAPnUnxu1A
— Ακροκεντρώος (@akrokentrwos_2) July 28, 2025
However, unlike a previous incident, passengers were able to disembark from the cruise ship without any major interruptions.
Last week, approximately 1,600 Israeli passengers expecting a peaceful stop on their cruise were unable to disembark from a ship docked on the island of Syros after a pro-Palestinian protest erupted at the port, raising safety concerns.
Around 300 protesters had gathered at the dock to protest against the war in Gaza, while Syros Port Authority police guarded the area and intervened to prevent violence until the ship departed.
Amid the large anti-Israel protest, the cruise company chose to divert the ship to Limassol, Cyprus.
In videos circulating on social media, protesters were seen waving Palestinian flags and holding banners with slogans such as “Stop the Genocide” and “No AC [Air Conditioning] in Hell,” while chanting antisemitic slogans.
Since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have surged to alarming levels across Europe. This recent incident appears to be just one of the latest in a wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes that Greece and other countries have witnessed in recent months.
Earlier this month in Athens, a group of pro-Palestinian activists vandalized an Israeli restaurant, shouting antisemitic slurs and spray-painting graffiti with slogans such as “No Zionist is safe here.”
The attackers also posted a sign on one of the restaurant’s windows that read, “All IDF soldiers are war criminals — we don’t want you here,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
Last month, an Israeli tourist was attacked by a group of pro-Palestinian activists after they overheard him using Google Maps in Hebrew while navigating through Athens.
When the attackers realized the victim was speaking Hebrew, they began physically assaulting him while shouting antisemitic slurs.
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Ritchie Torres Says Netanyahu Has Done ‘Irreparable’ Harm to Democratic Party Relationship With Israel
US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) standing at the US Capitol in February of 2023. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Israel’s most vocal supporters in Congress, delivered pointed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, saying the longtime leader has “done harm” to Israel’s relationship with the Democratic Party and called for an end to the war in Gaza.
“If you’re a Democrat, and if you’re a Democrat of color and if you’re a Black Democrat, you take immense pride in Barack Obama. He represents one of the greatest achievements in politics. We take great pride in his presidency,” Torres said in an interview with . “To see a foreign leader visibly disrespect him in the manner that Bibi Netanyahu did, I feel did irreparable damage to the relationship with the Democratic Party.”
Torres offered a gloomy assessment of Netanyahu’s relationship with the Democratic party, arguing that “the damage may be irreparable.” He also cautioned that support for the Jewish state is rapidly “eroding” according to various polls.
Furthermore, Torres stated that despite his strident support for Israel, he does not “consider myself having a good relationship with the Israeli government.”
Torres said that Netanyahu “made a terrible mistake” in establishing a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, arguing that the Israeli premier politicized the US-Israel relationship. The progressive lawmaker said that there is a “legitimate perception that the present Israeli government is just aligned with the Republican Party.”
The remarks represent a notable shift from Torres, a New York Democrat who has historically defended Israel amid bipartisan divisions over the war. While maintaining his commitment to Israel’s security, Torres said Netanyahu’s government has failed to articulate a clear endgame in Gaza and warned that the ongoing military campaign is undermining both humanitarian values and strategic interests.
“There’s a real need to end the war, secure the release of the hostages, bring humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in distress.”
Torres cited prominent Israeli journalists and media figures that have warned that Gaza has approached “catastrophic” levels of hunger and that famine might be looming without a rapid policy shift.
Torres’s comments come amid growing pressure from the Democratic base on centrist and progressive Democrats alike to take a firmer stance on Israel’s military operations, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched its campaign following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Torres’s comments underscore a growing divide within the Democratic Party over the U.S.-Israel relationship. While the party remains broadly supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself, a significant faction ,including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) condemned the war in Gaza and called for a suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel.
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Israeli Defense Firm Lands Huge Deal With Germany
An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at Elbit’s drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Orel Cohen
On Monday, Elbit Systems Ltd., a military contractor based in Israel, announced it had received a $260 million government contract from Germany to spend six years installing Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) self-protection systems for defending Germany’s A400M aircraft fleet.
The contract is just the latest in a string of blockbuster deals between Israeli defense firms and international militaries. Israeli defense exports to Europe jumped to 54% of overall defense exports last year, up from just over 33% in 2023, according to the Israeli media outlet Globes.
Elbit’s defense system works to counter infrared-guided missiles, with a focus on mobile anti-aircraft weapons. It offers the ability to track missile threats as they happen and also provides automatic protection without needed human action.
Other countries which have deployed the system include Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil. In February, Morocco announced plans to purchase 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery systems from Elbit, making Israel the country’s third largest weapons supplier.
“This contract further strengthens Elbit Systems’ position as a leading global provider of DIRCM solutions,” Elbit president and CEO Bezhalel Machlis said. “Our systems are already trusted by numerous air forces and defense organizations around the world, and we are proud to support Germany in enhancing the protection of their strategic air assets. Our successful collaboration with Airbus DS on this important program is highly valued, and we are pleased that our advanced self-protection systems will contribute to the safety and operational readiness of the German A400M fleet.”
The announcement prompted Elbit’s share price to jump 1 percent on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE).
Since Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, Israel’s financial markets have been buoyed by significant foreign investment and renewed investor confidence. Over the past year, the TASE has repeatedly broken past its all-time highs, despite Israel’s multi-front wars.
On Friday, Germany announced that it would not join France in recognizing a Palestinian state. A government spokesperson said “Israel’s security is of paramount importance to the German government” and that “the German government therefore has no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.”
On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the country had no plans to sanction Israel and that “for now, we want to await the foreign minister’s trip and the talks that will be held with the Israeli government in the coming days.”
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