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Israeli embassy employees killed in Washington DC: what we all know thus far …
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Two members of Israeli embassy employees have been killed by as they left an occasion on the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC on Wednesday night time
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Washington Metropolitan police chief Pamela Smith mentioned a person shot at a bunch of 4 individuals with a handgun, hitting each the victims. He was seen pacing outdoors the museum previous to the capturing
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The suspect has been tentatively recognized as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, and authorities mentioned he had no earlier contact with the police. Smith claimed he shouted “Free, free Palestine” after being taken into custody
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Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned the sufferer’s lives had been “minimize brief by a heinous antisemitic assassin”
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US president Donald Trump described the killings as “horrible” and “based mostly clearly on antisemitism”, saying “hatred and radicalism don’t have any place within the USA”
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Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the US, instructed reporters the 2 victims had been a younger couple who had been set to get engaged
Key occasions
In a press release on social media concerning the Washington DC capturing of two Israeli embassy employees, the Israeli minister of diaspora and combating antisemitism Amichai Chikli has claimed that French president Emmanuel Macron, UK prime minister Keir Starmer, and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney have “emboldened the forces of terror.”
Posting to X, previously referred to as Twitter, Chikli mentioned he was “shocked and heartbroken by the brutal homicide”, and wished to thank US president Donald Trump for “his swift and unequivocal condemnation of this heinous act.”
Chikli continued:
The terrorist reportedly shouted “Free Palestine” earlier than opening hearth. Allow us to be completely clear: “Free Palestine” is just not a cry for liberty – it’s a cry for homicide. That was confirmed in blood at the moment.
This slogan, parroted by activists, teachers, and influencers, has develop into a banner not for peace however for hatred, violence, and the demonization of the Jewish state. Anybody who makes use of it now, within the wake of this assault, is not only echoing antisemitism – they’re legitimizing the homicide of Jews and Israelis.
We should additionally maintain to account the irresponsible leaders within the West who give backing to this hatred – whether or not by appeasement, double requirements, or silence. French president Emmanuel Macron, British prime minister Keir Starmer, and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney have all, in numerous methods, emboldened the forces of terror by their failure to attract ethical pink traces. This cowardice has a value – and that value is paid in Jewish blood.
On Monday Starmer, Macron and Carney launched a joint assertion during which they mentioned they strongly opposed “the enlargement of Israel’s navy operations in Gaza” and mentioned “the extent of human struggling in Gaza is insupportable.”
The assertion described Israel’s resolution to let in a restricted quantity of humanitarian help as “wholly insufficient”, whereas calling on Hamas to launch all the remaining hostages which were held because the 7 October assault in 2023. The shock assault inside southern Israel killed over 1,000 individuals, with greater than 50,000 Palestinians reported killed by Israel’s subsequent navy assault on Hamas in Gaza.
Reuters has spoken to Rabbi Levi Shemtov, who was on the scene, and instructed the information company that the 2 victims had attended his Washington synagogue sometimes. He mentioned “It’s very unhappy to see that as a substitute of those individuals coming to the final word celebration of their life – they had been about to get engaged – they get shot lifeless on the street simply due to who they’re.”
Here’s a transcript of a part of the briefing earlier by Washington Metropolitian police chief Pamela Smith. She instructed the media:
At roughly 9.08pm tonight, we acquired a number of requires a capturing within the space of third St and F St NW. Officers situated one grownup male and one grownup feminine, unconscious and never respiratory on the scene. DC hearth and EMS responded, and regardless of all life saving efforts, each victims succumbed to their accidents.
The preliminary investigation signifies that each victims had been exiting an occasion on the Capitol Jewish Museum, situated within the 500 block of third St NW when the capturing occurred.
We imagine the capturing was dedicated by a single suspect who’s now in custody. Previous to the capturing, the suspect was noticed pacing forwards and backwards outdoors of the museum. He approached a bunch of 4 individuals produced a handgun and opened hearth, placing each of our decedents.
After the capturing, the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by occasion safety. As soon as in handcuffs, the suspect recognized the place he discarded the weapon, and that weapon has been recovered, and he implied that he dedicated the offense.
The suspect chanted “Free, free Palestine” whereas in custody. The suspect has been tentatively recognized as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, Illinois.
Israeli embassy employees killed in Washington DC: what we all know thus far …
-
Two members of Israeli embassy employees have been killed by as they left an occasion on the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC on Wednesday night time
-
Washington Metropolitan police chief Pamela Smith mentioned a person shot at a bunch of 4 individuals with a handgun, hitting each the victims. He was seen pacing outdoors the museum previous to the capturing
-
The suspect has been tentatively recognized as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, and authorities mentioned he had no earlier contact with the police. Smith claimed he shouted “Free, free Palestine” after being taken into custody
-
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned the sufferer’s lives had been “minimize brief by a heinous antisemitic assassin”
-
US president Donald Trump described the killings as “horrible” and “based mostly clearly on antisemitism”, saying “hatred and radicalism don’t have any place within the USA”
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Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the US, instructed reporters the 2 victims had been a younger couple who had been set to get engaged
Germany’s overseas minister has expressed shock on the killing of two members of employees from the Israeli embassy in Washington DC on Wednesday night time, Reuters reviews.
“Nothing can justify antisemitic violence. I’m shocked by the dastardly homicide of two workers of the Israeli embassy in #Washington,” Johann Wadephul wrote on social media.
Netanyahu blames shootings on ‘wild incitement’ in opposition to Israel
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “shocked by the horrific antisemitic homicide” of the 2 Israeli embassy workers, his workplace has mentioned in a submit on X.
The assertion mentioned he had spoken with Israeli ambassador Yechiel Leiter and US legal professional normal Pam Bondi. The assertion added:
We’re witnessing the horrible value of antisemitism and wild incitement in opposition to the State of Israel. The blood libels in opposition to Israel are rising in blood and have to be fought to the bitter finish.
He mentioned safety at embassies world wide and for Israeli representatives could be elevated.
The Jewish Capital Museum has mentioned in a press release that it’s “deeply saddened and horrified by the mindless violence outdoors the Museum this night.”
CNN reviews that the American Jewish Committee (AJC) was holding an occasion for younger Jewish professionals on the night time the capturing occurred.
The “Younger Diplomats Reception”, which was sold-out, was described on its Eventbrite web page as “our greatest occasion of the 12 months, bringing collectively Jewish younger professionals (ages 22–45) and the diplomatic group.”
It was organised by ACCESS, the AJC’s division for younger professionals and the theme was “turning ache into function”.
Police chief Pamela A Smith earlier mentioned the lifeless couple, Israeli embassy employees members, had been leaving an occasion.
Police have named the alleged shooter as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago.
This map reveals the placement of the Capital Jewish Museum, and its proximity to the White Home and the Capitol constructing:
Listed below are some pictures from the scene of the capturing:

Ben Doherty
The Govt Council of Australian Jewry says it’s “horrified” by the double homicide outdoors the Jewish Museum in Washington DC, describing it as an obvious “act of antisemitic terror”.
In a press release, the council’s president Daniel Aghion and co-chief govt Alex Ryvchin mentioned:
“Our deepest sympathies are with the households of the lifeless, with the Israeli diplomatic corps and the American Jewish group. We hope justice is swift and decisive.”