“It’s a really sick irony.” Israeli officials identified the two victims as employees of the Israeli Embassy in Washington.
U.S. authorities called the shooting an “act of terror” and identified the suspect as Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago.
The attack, launched from Gaza, killed 1,200 people, while Hamas claimed about 250 hostages.
Israel’s response has devastated Gaza and killed more than 53,000 people, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities.
Kalin said many of the people at the museum event were — and will continue to be.
Yoni Kalin and his wife, JoJo, witnessed as security hurried guests out of the doors of the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington after gunfire broke out outside a humanitarian aid event for Gaza late Wednesday. Those who had just left the museum stumbled back in.
One man who entered, according to Kalin, seemed agitated. At first, Kalin and other museum visitors thought he was a protester, and he “walked right up” to the police as soon as they got there.
“I took this action for Gaza.”. In an interview on Thursday with The Times, Kalin recalled the man telling the officers, “Free Palestine.”. He entered his “Free Palestine” state. There’s just one answer. “Intifada revolution”—such as the standard chants. “.”.
31-year-old Kalin from Washington, D.D.C. , a biotech resident, claimed he was still unaware that two Israeli Embassy staff had been shot dead outside. He claimed that Kalin picked up and attempted to give the man back the red kaffiyeh, a traditional Arab headdress, that he had dropped as the police began to remove him.
According to Kalin, the purpose of the event that evening, which his wife had assisted in planning with the American Jewish Committee and the aid organizations Multifaith Alliance and IsraAID, had been “all about bridge building and humanitarian aid and support.” He reasoned that returning a protester’s kaffiyeh was consistent with that philosophy.
After an almost restless night, Kalin said Thursday morning, “I regret that now.”. I’m sorry for touching it. “”.
Kalin said, like many other mourners around the country, he was struggling to comprehend the “surreal, horrific” attack and the fact that it was taking place during a gathering meant to foster greater cooperation and understanding between Israelis, Palestinians, and Americans.
Considering that he killed people who were genuinely attempting to assist on the ground or contribute to these aid efforts, Kalin stated of the gunman, “I don’t think him shouting ‘Free Palestine’ or ‘Free Gaza’ is going to actually help Palestinians or Gazans in this situation.”. The irony is truly sickening. “”.
The two victims, according to Israeli officials, were workers at the Israeli Embassy in Washington. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that Sarah Milgrim was a U.S. citizen and that Yaron Lischinsky was an Israeli citizen and research assistant. S. an individual who coordinated trips and missions to Israel. Ambassador of Israel to the United States. S. . The two were a couple, according to Yechiel Leiter, and Lischinsky had just bought a ring and intended to pop the question to Milgrim in Jerusalem the following week.
U. S. . Authorities described the shooting as an “act of terror” and named Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, as the suspect. Rodriguez was arrested by security after entering the museum and was subsequently observed pacing outside prior to the shooting, according to Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith.
The FBI was “aware of certain writings allegedly authored by the suspect, and we hope to have updates as to the authenticity very soon,” stated Deputy Director Dan Bongino. He stated that Rodriguez had been questioned by police early on Thursday morning and that the FBI did not think the public was in any danger at this time.
Speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, President Trump and U.S. A. Attorney. Gen. Justice in the shooting has been promised by Pam Bondi.
These D.C are awful. “Killings that are clearly motivated by antisemitism must stop immediately!” Trump wrote on social media. “The United States is not the place for hate and radicalism. “.”.
The consul general of Israel to the United States is Israel Bachar. S. . Pacific Southwest, a Los Angeles-based organization, stated that local police and U.S. law enforcement have assisted in enhancing security at consulate buildings and other Jewish establishments.
Israel’s most recent significant offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has been going on since October, coincides with the shooting. 7, 2023, when Hamas, a Palestinian militant organization, attacked Israel.
Approximately 250 hostages were reported by Hamas, and 1,200 people were killed in the attack, which was launched from Gaza. According to local health authorities, Israel’s response has killed over 53,000 people in Gaza, primarily women and children, and left the area in ruins.
Of the approximately 2 million people living in the territory, about 90% have been displaced. A severe hunger crisis has resulted from Israel’s blocking of large amounts of aid from entering the territory and the bombing and destruction of much of urban Gaza. In the United States and other countries, protests against Israel’s actions have grown. S. . which is a significant provider of Israel’s armaments.
The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino was founded by Brian Levin, who stated that antisemitic and anti-Muslim attacks have been on the rise in the United States for decades. S. when Middle Eastern wars break out, and Israel’s current conflict is no exception.
According to Levin, “the worst conflict the region has seen in years, with a horrifying loss of life and moving images of the suffering taking place in Gaza, what ends up happening is the soil gets soft for antisemitism.”.
The proliferation of such imagery and false information on social media, particularly in recent years, has created “a rabbit-hole where people can get increasingly radicalized,” Levin said, where calls for retaliation against anyone even remotely associated with a marginalized group can overpower calls for aid, compassion, and freedom.
He said, “Unfortunately, we have been caught in a time when the peaceful interfaith voices have been washed over like a tsunami, leaving a vacuum that allows conflict overseas to generate bigotry and violence here.”. “We see that repeatedly — we saw that with 9/11 — where communities are broad-brushed, stereotyped, and labeled as legitimate targets for aggression in certain niches. That spirals out of control, leading to the murder of completely innocent people.”. “”.
According to a number of organizations, Lischinsky and Milgrim are dedicated to working for peace and humanitarian relief. Numerous attendees of the museum event were, and will remain, Kalin said.
“This violent act only inspires me to forge even closer bonds with people.”. I believe the coalition needs to be strengthened. It is imperative that we have more Muslims, Christians, Israelis, and Palestinians, Kalin stated. People who think that violence and hatred won’t resolve this problem and that peace is the solution are what we need. “.”.
