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US Lawmakers React to Murder of Israeli Embassy Employees in Washington
US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) holds a press conference in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, April 23, 2024. Photo: Annabelle Gordon / CNP/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
In the aftermath of the murders of two Israeli embassy employees, US lawmakers have rushed to issue statements condemning the shooting and offering condolences to the families of the victims.
Two Israeli embassy workers were brutally slain Wednesday night in Washington, DC, in what authorities are investigating as a targeted attack. The victims — Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim — were shot while exiting an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) at the Capital Jewish Museum. Lischinsky and Milgrim were also a couple, and Lischinsky planned to propose marriage to Milgrim soon, according to Israeli officials. The suspected murderer, Elias Rodriguez, was recorded screaming “free, free Palestine” as he was taken into custody by officers.
Lawmakers from across the ideological spectrum immediately condemned the murder of Lischinsky and Milgrim.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of the most strident supporters of Israel in Congress, repudiated the attacks and argued that pro-Hamas protesters that utter phrases such as “globalize the intifada” embolden acts of terror against Jews.
“When you repeat slogans like ‘globalize the intifada,’ you are inciting violence against Jews in the United States and around the world,” Torres said.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) posted on social media that the shooting is “unbelievable and appears to be a targeted, antisemitic attack.”
“My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of those who died or were injured in this senseless violence,” Fetterman continued.
Leo Terrell — head of the Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, a newly formed unit within the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division — wrote that the shooting “reflects a systemic crisis of antisemitism — seen in the shooter’s hatred, the failure to enforce hate crime statutes, the institutions that helped shape him, and the media narratives that normalize or excuse antisemitism.”
Rep. Pramilla Jayapal (D-WA), a progressive and vocal critic of Israel, wrote that the murders of the Israeli embassy employees represent “senseless, unacceptable violence.”
“I condemn it absolutely. Antisemitism is wrong. Full stop. My heart goes out to all those affected,” Jayapal wrote.
Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), shared a picture of Milgrim and revealed that he met her two weeks before her assassination.
“I just met Sarah two weeks ago in my office at EPA HQ. She struck me as a young woman filled with life and positivity. Heartbroken to learn she was one of two tragically murdered last night by a Jew-hating radical screaming ‘Free Palestine.’” Zeldin wrote.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the Democratic Senate leader, argued that the shooting reflects the rising surge of antisemitism across the country.
“This sickening shooting seems to be another horrific instance of antisemitism which as we know is all too rampant in our society,” Schumer said. “I’m praying for those who were killed, all those affected, and their families.”
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) wrote that she will “continue to work to push back against antisemitism, and we must all disavow these violent, hateful, antisemitic murders.”
Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) added that “this attack must be strongly condemned.”
“Having worked in diplomacy and in embassies abroad before, I am further disgusted by the targeting of embassy personnel on American soil. My heart goes out to the families of the victims, the Israeli embassy staff, the American Jewish Committee who hosted the event, and others who were present,” Kim said.
Some of the most strident critics of Israel in the US Congress expressed sympathy for the victims and condemned their murder.
“The murder of two Israeli embassy staff outside an [American Jewish Committee] event in DC is unconscionable and unacceptable. Our freedoms and our destinies are truly tied. I’m praying for the victims, their loved ones, and everyone impacted,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) wrote.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), another vocal critic of Israel, said she was “appalled” by the Wednesday night murders.
“I am appalled by the deadly shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum last night,” she said. “Holding the victims, their families, and loved ones in my thoughts and prayers. Violence should have no place in our country.”
Omar has come under immense criticism for her anti-Israel rhetoric. The lawmaker has called for an arms embargo to be placed on Israel and declared the Jewish state’s defensive military operations in Gaza a “genocide.” She has also claimed that Jewish colleges students who support Israel are “pro-genocide.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), a lawmaker who has condemned the ongoing war in Gaza, wrote that he is “appalled by the vile attack on those attending an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, that has taken the lives of 2 Israeli Embassy aides. I’m praying for them & their loved ones.”
“This is a horrific act of violence and antisemitism & the perpetrator must be brought to justice,” Van Hollen continued.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said that “absolutely nothing justifies the murder of innocents.”
“I am devastated by the killing of two people outside an [American Jewish Committee] event here in Washington. Our prayers are with the victims, families, and loved ones of all impacted,” she added.
Ocasio-Cortez, one of the most prominent progressives in Congress, has sharpened her criticisms of Israel in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel. She condemned Israel’s response as “genocide” and has called for an arms embargo to be placed on the Jewish state.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the only Palestinian American in Congress, also said her “heart breaks” for the two victims of the shooting.
“My heart breaks for the loved ones of the victims of last night’s attack in DC. Nobody deserves such terrible violence. Everyone in our communities deserves to live in safety and in peace,” Tlaib wrote.
Tlaib’s conduct in the months following the Hamas-led massacre throughout Israel has incensed Jewish communities across the country. The progressive firebrand was slow to condemn the Oct. 7 massacre. However, she was among the first lawmakers to condemn Israel’s response and declare their military operations a “genocide.” She has called for sanctions and a full arms embargo to be placed on the Jewish state. Moreover, she has served as a distinguished guest and speaker at multiple conferences that hosted members of terrorist groups.
The post US Lawmakers React to Murder of Israeli Embassy Employees in Washington first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Israel’s Supreme Court Orders Improved Food for Security Prisoners
Israel’s Supreme Court. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
i24 News – Israel’s Supreme Court on Sunday instructed the Prison Service (Shabas) to guarantee adequate food supplies for security prisoners, ruling that current conditions fall short of minimum legal standards. The decision followed an appeal filed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.
In a 2–1 ruling, the court found that the food situation posed “a risk of non-compliance with legal standards.” Justice Dafna Barak-Erez stressed that the matter concerned “basic conditions necessary for survival, as required by law,” not comfort or privilege. Justice Ofer Grosskopf agreed, noting the state had not shown the policy was consistently applied to all inmates.
Justice David Mintz dissented, maintaining that the existing policy already met legal requirements.
The court underscored that Israel’s legal obligations remain binding, even in light of the ongoing hostage crisis in Gaza and the fact that many of the prisoners include Hamas members involved in the October 7, 2023 attack.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir condemned the ruling, arguing that while hostages in Gaza lack protection, “terrorist murderers, kidnappers, and rapists in prison” benefit from the Court’s intervention. He added that prisoners would continue receiving only the minimum conditions required by law.
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Ukrainian Government Building Set Ablaze in Record Russian Airstrike
Illustrative. More damage caused by the Russian drone that hit the Perlina school in Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 30, 2024. Photo: Jewish community JCC in Kyiv, Kyiv municipality, and Yan Dobronosov
i24 News – The Ukrainian government’s main building in Kyiv was hit overnight Saturday by Russian airstrikes for the first time since the war, igniting a fire in the building, authorities said. Firefighters are working to put out the flames.
“The government building was damaged by an enemy attack — the roof and upper floors,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko said. The blaze is is burning in the area of the office of the prime minister.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched a total of 805 drones and 13 missiles overnight on Ukraine — a record number since the start of the war.
Also as a result of the strike, a baby and a young woman were killed after a nine-story residential building was hit in the Svyatoshynsky district, also in Kyiv. Rescuers are still looking for a third body, authorities said. A woman was also reported killed in the strike in Novopavlivka village.
“The world must respond to this destruction not only with words, but also with actions. We need to increase sanctions pressure – primarily against Russian oil and gas. We need new restrictions that will hit the Kremlin’s military machine. And most importantly, Ukraine needs weapons. Something that will stop the terror and prevent Russia from trying to kill Ukrainians every day,” wrote Sviridenko after the attack.
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‘Trump’s Legacy Crumbles’: Israelis Call on US President to End Gaza War
Israeli protestors take part in a rally demanding the immediate release of the hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, and the end of war in Gaza, in Jerusalem September 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, issuing direct appeals to US President Donald Trump to force an end to the Gaza war and secure the release of the hostages.
Protesters packed a public square outside the military headquarters, waving Israeli flags and holding placards with images of the hostages. Some carried signs, including one that read: ‘Trump’s legacy crumbles as the Gaza war persists.’
Another said: “PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAVE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”
“We think that Trump is the only man in the world who has authority over Bibi, that can force Bibi to do this,” said Tel Aviv resident Boaz, 40, referring to the Israeli prime minister.
There is growing despair among many Israelis at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has ordered the military to capture a major urban center where hostages may be held.
Families of the hostages and their supporters fear the assault on Gaza City could endanger their loved ones, a concern the military leadership shares, according to Israeli officials.
Orna Neutra, the mother of an Israeli soldier who was killed on October 7, 2023 and whose body is being held in Gaza by militants, accused the government of abandoning its citizens.
“We truly hope that the United States will push both sides to finally reach a comprehensive deal that will bring them home,” she told the rally. Her son, Omer, is also American.
Tel Aviv has witnessed weekly demonstrations that have grown in size, with protesters demanding that the government secure a ceasefire with Hamas to obtain the release of hostages. Organizers said Saturday night’s rally was attended by tens of thousands. A large demonstration was also held in Jerusalem.
There are 48 hostages held in Gaza. Israeli officials believe that around 20 are still alive. Palestinian terrorists abducted 251 people from Israel on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led its attack. Most of the hostages who have been released were freed after indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
NO PURPOSE
Trump had pledged a swift end to the war in Gaza during his presidential campaign, but nearly eight months into his second term, a resolution has remained elusive. On Friday, he said that Washington was engaged in “very deep” negotiations with Hamas.
Israeli forces have carried out heavy strikes on the suburbs of Gaza City, where, according to a global hunger monitor, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are facing famine. Israeli officials acknowledge that hunger exists in Gaza but deny that the territory is facing famine. On Saturday, the military warned civilians in Gaza City to leave and move to southern Gaza.
There are hundreds of thousands of Palestinians sheltering in the city that was home to around a million before the war.
A video released by Hamas on Friday featured Israeli hostage Guy Gilboa-Dalal, 24, saying that he was being held in Gaza City and feared being killed by the military’s assault on the city. Rights groups have condemned such videos of hostages as inhumane. Israel says that it is psychological warfare.
The war has become unpopular among some segments of Israeli society, and opinion polls show that most Israelis want Netanyahu’s right-wing government to negotiate a permanent ceasefire with Hamas that secures the release of the hostages.
“The war has no purpose at all, except for violence and death,” said Boaz from Tel Aviv. Adam, 48, said it had become obvious that soldiers were being sent to war for “nothing.”
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military since it launched its retaliatory war after Hamas fighters attacked Israel from Gaza in October 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed in that attack on southern Israel.
The terrorist group, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades but today controls only parts of the enclave, on Saturday once again said that it would release all hostages if Israel agreed to end the war and withdraw its forces from Gaza.
Netanyahu is pushing for an all-or-nothing deal that would see all of the hostages released at once and Hamas surrendering.
The prime minister has said Gaza City is a Hamas stronghold and capturing it is necessary to defeat the Palestinian militant group, whose October 2023 attack on Israel led to the war.
Hamas has acknowledged it would no longer govern Gaza once the war ends but has refused to discuss laying down its weapons.