WASHINGTON: Two Israeli embassy staffers were killed by a lone gunman in Washington DC outside Capital Jewish Museum, just 2km from the White House, on Wednesday night. The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, chanted “Free Palestine” after he was taken into custody.The victims, Yaron Lischinsky (30) and Sarah Lynn Milgrim (26) – a couple about to get engaged – were committed to building bridges between Arabs and Jews in hopes of ending bloodshed in West Asia, according to advocacy groups they belonged to.Israeli embassies around the world immediately stepped up security. Calling Rodriguez an “abhorrent murderer”, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We are witness to the terrible cost of antisemitism and wild incitement against Israel. Both must be fought to the utmost.”President Trump posted on Truth Social, “These horrible killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW! Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA.”The shooting is likely to fuel tension in the US between supporters of Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Police said Rodriguez, who was once affiliated with a far-left group but had no previous run-in with the law, shot at a group of four people with a gun, fatally hitting the two victims.
