Ireland's Taoiseach and Tánaiste have both condemned the deaths of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, the two Israeli Embassy staffers who were shot and killed in Washington, DC, last night, Wednesday, May 21.
"I strongly condemn the horrific gun attack that killed two Israeli embassy staff in Washington, DC, last night," Taoiseach Micheál Martin said on social media on Thursday morning.
"My deepest sympathies go to the family and friends of the couple, and the Israeli people. There can be absolutely no place for violence or hate."
I strongly condemn the horrific gun attack that killed two Israeli embassy staff in Washington DC last night.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) May 22, 2025
My deepest sympathies go to the family and friends of the couple, and the Israeli people.
There can be absolutely no place for violence or hate.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris said: "The DC attack fills us all with great sadness and dismay. I condemn these anti-Semitic murders in the strongest terms. Two young people killed for being Jewish at an event which brought young diplomats together, including one from Ireland. Horrendous."
The DC attack fills us all with great sadness and dismay. I condemn these anti-Semitic murders in the strongest terms. Two young people killed for being Jewish at an event which brought young diplomats together, including one from Ireland. Horrendous.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 22, 2025
Harris also addressed the matter while speaking in the Dáil today.
"Antisemitism is a disgusting, despicable, vile scourge, and we should condemn it at each and every opportunity," he said.
I condemn the senseless antisemitic murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 22, 2025
in Washington DC.
Antisemitism is a scourge on society. pic.twitter.com/46fbIrDb5w
On Wednesday night, Tal Naim Cohen, spokesperson at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, confirmed that two staff members of the Israeli Embassy were shot "at close range" while attending a Jewish event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC.
*Spokesperson at the Israeli embassy in Washington Tal Naim Cohen*:
Two staff members of the Israeli embassy were shot this evening at close range while attending a Jewish event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC.We have full faith in law enforcement authorities on…
— Tal Naim (@TalNaim_) May 22, 2025
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter later said that Lischinsky, 30, and Milgrim, 26, were a couple, and that Lischinsky had purchased a ring this week with the intention to propose to Milgrim next week in Jerusalem.
The couple was killed outside of the Capital Jewish Museum, where they had attended an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which describes itself as "the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people."
The AJC said Wednesday night's event was organized by AJC ACCESS, AJC’s young professional division, which empowers Jewish leaders to advocate on behalf of critical domestic and global issues facing the Jewish community. The annual reception brings together Jewish young professionals (ages 22–45) and diplomats from around the world.
The AJC said that at this year’s event, attendees heard from members of the Multifaith Alliance and IsraAID on humanitarian diplomacy and how a coalition of organizations - from the region and for the region - are working together in response to humanitarian crises throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The AJC said Lischinsky was a staff member of the Political Department at the Embassy of Israel focused on Middle East issues.
Milgrim, from Kansas, was "committed to peacebuilding and passionate about sustainability and people-to-people relations.
"She was engaged with AJC as a lay leader of AJC ACCESS, AJC’s Young Professional Division, and was a beloved member of the AJC-Mimouna Michael Sachs Fellowship for Emerging Leaders community, where she joined other American, Israeli, French, and Moroccan leaders focused on advancing relations in the Middle East and North Africa."
Earlier on Wednesday, the AJC commended British police for charging Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh with a terrorism offense for displaying a Hezbollah flag at a concert.
"It's disgraceful that the band remains scheduled to perform at venues across Europe and the US," the AJC said.
In a press conference on Wednesday night, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said: "At approximately 9:08 pm tonight, we received multiple calls for a shooting in the area of Third Street and F Street NW.
"Officers located one adult male and one adult female unconscious and not breathing at the scene.
"DC Fire and EMS responded and, despite all life-saving efforts, both victims succumbed to their injuries.
"The preliminary investigation indicates that both victims were exiting an event at the Capital Jewish Museum located in the 500 block of Third Street NW when the shooting occurred.
"We believe the shooting was committed by a single suspect who is now in custody.
"Prior to the shooting, the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum. He approached a group of four people, produced a handgun, and opened fire, striking both of our decedents.
"After the shooting, the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by event security. Once in handcuffs, the suspect identified where he discarded the weapon and that weapon has been recovered, and he implied that he committed the offense.
"The suspect chanted 'Free, free Palestine' while in custody.
"The suspect has been tentatively identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, Illinois."
Comments