Two Israeli embassy staff members were shot dead Wednesday evening near the Jewish Museum in Washington, in what appears to be a targeted attack. The assailant, a thirty-year-old from Chicago, reportedly shouted "Free Palestine" as he was arrested. The act was immediately labeled "terrorist" by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the immediate strengthening of security at all Israeli diplomatic missions abroad.
An attack in an explosive climate
This tragedy comes amid heightened tensions since October 7, 2023. The war sparked by Hamas attacks has left more than 50,000 dead in Gaza, according to the Islamist movement. In the United States, pro-Palestinian protests are on the rise, and anti-Semitic acts are exploding. Donald Trump denounced a "vile anti-Semitic attack," while Israeli President Isaac Herzog praised American-Israeli unity in the face of what he called "destructive hatred."
This latest episode reinforces Israeli authorities' concerns about the safety of their citizens abroad. So much so that, according to CNEWS, the Israeli Security Council now recommends that its citizens no longer speak Hebrew or appear Israeli abroad. This is an admission of powerlessness in a war of images and narratives that has become global.
