Israelis reacted with shock and horror on Thursday to the killing of two Israeli Embassy employees at an event in Washington, D.C., which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an “appalling antisemitic murder.”
The shooting took place as the two aides were leaving an event organized by the American Jewish Committee at the Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday. The police said that they had arrested a suspect in connection with the killings who had shouted,“free, free Palestine,” after he was taken into custody.
The attack seemed likely to feed into growing worries among Israelis that the world had become far more hostile to them living and traveling abroad since the war in Gaza began more than a year and a half ago.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has identified the victims as Sarah Lynn Milgrim, who was responsible for organizing missions and visits to Israel, and Yaron Lischinsky, a researcher in the political department. Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, said that they were a couple about to be engaged.
David Schiff, who befriended Mr. Lischinsky at university, described him as “an incredibly talented guy — but more importantly, someone who was very kind.”
“He wanted to work in diplomacy. He was so excited to work at the embassy in D.C., and he loved D.C.,” Mr. Schiff, 31, said. “It’s all just shocking.”