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World’s Jewish Communities Condemn Antisemitic Shooting Outside DC Museum, Urge Swift Action Amid Rising Threats
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
Jewish communities worldwide have strongly condemned the antisemitic shooting in Washington, DC, on Wednesday night, calling for stronger government action as fears mount over a potential rise in violence following the deadly assault on two Israeli embassy staffers in the US capital.
The victims were fatally shot outside the Capital Jewish Museum in downtown Washington while leaving an event for young professionals and diplomatic staff hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC).
The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, chanted “Free Palestine, Free Palestine” after being taken into custody. He also reportedly said, “I did it for Gaza.”
Leading Jewish groups and figures around the world quickly decried the act of violence, expressing alarm about the global surge in antisemitism and noting the connection between anti-Israel animus and antisemitic hate crimes.
In France, the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions (CRIF) condemned the shooting, calling it a “hateful crime” and emphasizing that “no political cause can ever legitimize antisemitism.”
“Make no mistake: targeting a Jewish museum and murdering two people while shouting ‘Free Palestine’ is not an act of solidarity — it is a hateful crime, a continuation of the antisemitic violence seen on Oct. 7, now echoed on other shores,” Yonathan Arfi, president of the CRIF, wrote in a statement on X, referring to Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel. Antisemitic incidents have spiked worldwide in the aftermath of the onslaught, the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
“What happened in Washington is a grim reminder that hatred of Jews, disguised as anti-Israel sentiment, is a global menace that knows no borders,” Arfi continued.
Sadness and outrage after the attack carried out last night in Washington
Make no mistake: targeting a Jewish museum and murdering two people while shouting “Free Palestine” is not an act of solidarity—it is a hateful crime, a continuation of the antisemitic violence seen on… https://t.co/cUrVqLE4dK
— CRIF (@Le_CRIF) May 22, 2025
According to local authorities, the victims were Yaron Lischinsky, a 30-year-old research assistant in the political department at the Israeli embassy in Washington, and Sarah Milgrim, a 26-year-old embassy staffer who organized trips to Israel. The young couple was soon to be engaged.
Ted Deutch, CEO of the AJC, denounced the attack, saying the organization stands with the victims’ families and the broader Jewish community as they grieve the tragic loss.
“These are the worst fears of the Jewish community coming true. This was an act of pure evil, and what it did was send shockwaves through the Jewish community around the world,” Deutch said during an interview on Fox News.
“These are the worst fears of the Jewish community coming true. This was an act of pure evil, & what it did was send shockwaves through the Jewish community around the world.”
On @foxandfriends I explained how Jews are feeling about the violence that took place outside an… pic.twitter.com/PkXvucVB9k
— Ted Deutch, CEO of American Jewish Committee (@AJCCEO) May 22, 2025
Amid a sharp rise in antisemitism and anti-Jewish hate crimes since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 invasion of Israel, the shooting on Wednesday night has ignited widespread condemnation from leaders and Jewish communities worldwide, while intensifying fears of further attacks.
In the UK, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Community Security Trust (CST) — the latter of which is a nonprofit charity that advises Britain’s Jewish community on security matters — also denounced the attack, calling for the suspect to face “the full force of the law.”
“This kind of terrorism is a global threat to all Jewish communities that has risen significantly since Oct. 7, and it is the reason why there is so much security across the Jewish community in the UK,” CST wrote in a statement on X.
CST condemns the terrorist murder of two Israel Embassy staff outside the Jewish Museum in Washington DC. Our thoughts are with their family and colleagues at this awful time. This kind of terrorism is a global threat to all Jewish communities that has risen significantly since 7… pic.twitter.com/Qo2VNe33ka
— CST (@CST_UK) May 22, 2025
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced heightened security at Israeli embassies worldwide as a preventive measure following the deadly attack on US soil.
“We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and the wild incitement against the State of Israel,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “The blood libels against Israel are costing us blood and must be fought relentlessly.”
“My heart aches with the families of the young couple, whose lives were cut short by a despicable antisemitic murderer,” the Israeli leader continued. “I have ordered security arrangements to be boosted in Israeli diplomatic missions around the world and around representatives of the state.”
In a statement on X, Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), denounced the attack as “a devastating reminder that the danger facing Jewish communities is not history.”
Lauder called on US President Donald Trump and global leaders to act swiftly to bolster security at Jewish institutions around the world.
“Though this brazen act of violence occurred on American soil, its message was meant to cause Jews everywhere to tremble with fear,” he wrote. “But let there be no mistake — this act of terror will not drive us into the shadows. We will not hide our faces or our symbols. We will live openly and proudly, as a courageous people.”
Last night’s attack outside the Jewish Museum, which claimed the lives of Yaron Lishinsky z’’l and Sarah Milgram z’’l, is a devastating reminder that the danger facing Jewish communities is not history—it is real and everpresent.
These were two individuals who dedicated their…
— Ronald S. Lauder (@lauder_ronald) May 22, 2025
In Argentina, the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA) voiced strong condemnation of the attack and stood in solidarity with the victims’ families, while warning about “the alarming rise in antisemitic acts fueled by fierce demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel.”
In a show of support, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) also condemned the “cold-blooded crime,” emphasizing that it was “premeditated and did not happen in a vacuum.”
“This attack underscores the ongoing vulnerability of Jewish communities around the world,” the statement read. “Antisemitism across the world has increased, including in South Africa, where we are seeing more attacks on our community members, including physical assault.”
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Israel to Send Delegation to Qatar for Gaza Ceasefire Talks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in Jerusalem, Sept. 2, 2024. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg/Pool via REUTERS
Israel has decided to send a delegation to Qatar for talks on a possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, an Israeli official said, reviving hopes of a breakthrough in negotiations to end the almost 21-month war.
Palestinian group Hamas said on Friday it had responded to a US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal in a “positive spirit,” a few days after US President Donald Trump said Israel had agreed “to the necessary conditions to finalize” a 60-day truce.
The Israeli negotiation delegation will fly to Qatar on Sunday, the Israeli official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters.
But in a sign of the potential challenges still facing the two sides, a Palestinian official from a militant group allied with Hamas said concerns remained over humanitarian aid, passage through the Rafah crossing in southern Israel to Egypt and clarity over a timetable for Israeli troop withdrawals.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to meet Trump in Washington on Monday, has yet to comment on Trump’s announcement, and in their public statements Hamas and Israel remain far apart.
Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the terrorist group, which is thought to be holding 20 living hostages, has so far refused to discuss.
Israeli media said on Friday that Israel had received and was reviewing Hamas’ response to the ceasefire proposal.
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Tucker Carlson Says to Air Interview with President of Iran
Tucker Carlson speaks on July 18, 2024 during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Photo: Jasper Colt-USA TODAY via Reuters Connect
US conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson said in an online post on Saturday that he had conducted an interview with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, which would air in the next day or two.
Carlson said the interview was conducted remotely through a translator, and would be published as soon as it was edited, which “should be in a day or two.”
Carlson said he had stuck to simple questions in the interview, such as, “What is your goal? Do you seek war with the United States? Do you seek war with Israel?”
“There are all kinds of questions that I didn’t ask the president of Iran, particularly questions to which I knew I could get an not get an honest answer, such as, ‘was your nuclear program totally disabled by the bombing campaign by the US government a week and a half ago?’” he said.
Carlson also said he had made a third request in the past several months to interview Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who will be visiting Washington next week for talks with US President Donald Trump.
Trump said on Friday he would discuss Iran with Netanyahu at the White House on Monday.
Trump said he believed Tehran’s nuclear program had been set back permanently by recent US strikes that followed Israel’s attacks on the country last month, although Iran could restart it at a different location.
Trump also said Iran had not agreed to inspections of its nuclear program or to give up enriching uranium. He said he would not allow Tehran to resume its nuclear program, adding that Iran did want to meet with him.
Pezeshkian said last month Iran does not intend to develop nuclear weapons but will pursue its right to nuclear energy and research.
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Hostage Families Reject Partial Gaza Seal, Demand Release of All Hostages
Demonstrators hold signs and pictures of hostages, as relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages kidnapped during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas protest demanding the release of all hostages in Tel Aviv, Israel, Feb. 13, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Itai Ron
i24 News – As Israeli leaders weigh the contours of a possible partial ceasefire deal with Hamas, the families of the 50 hostages still held in Gaza issued an impassioned public statement this weekend, condemning any agreement that would return only some of the abductees.
In a powerful message released Saturday, the Families Forum for the Return of Hostages denounced what they call the “beating system” and “cruel selection process,” which, they say, has left families trapped in unbearable uncertainty for 638 days—not knowing whether to hope for reunion or prepare for mourning.
The group warned that a phased or selective deal—rumored to be under discussion—would deepen their suffering and perpetuate injustice. Among the 50 hostages, 22 are believed to be alive, and 28 are presumed dead.
“Every family deserves answers and closure,” the Forum said. “Whether it is a return to embrace or a grave to mourn over—each is sacred.”
They accused the Israeli government of allowing political considerations to prevent a full agreement that could have brought all hostages—living and fallen—home long ago. “It is forbidden to conform to the dictates of Schindler-style lists,” the statement read, invoking a painful historical parallel.
“All of the abductees could have returned for rehabilitation or burial months ago, had the government chosen to act with courage.”
The call for a comprehensive deal comes just as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for high-stakes talks in Washington and as indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are expected to resume in Doha within the next 24 hours, according to regional media reports.
Hamas, for its part, issued a statement Friday confirming its readiness to begin immediate negotiations on the implementation of a ceasefire and hostage release framework.
The Forum emphasized that every day in captivity poses a mortal risk to the living hostages, and for the deceased, a danger of being lost forever. “The horror of selection does not spare any of us,” the statement said. “Enough with the separation and categories that deepen the pain of the families.”
In a planned public address near Begin Gate in Tel Aviv, families are gathering Saturday evening to demand that the Israeli government accept a full-release deal—what they describe as the only “moral and Zionist” path forward.
“We will return. We will avenge,” the Forum concluded. “This is the time to complete the mission.”
As of now, the Israeli government has not formally responded to Hamas’s latest statement.
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