Prime Minister Netanyahu Is Turning Israel Into A Pariah State

Netanyahu's Gaza war tactics, civilian toll, and dismissal of criticism as anti-Semitism are isolating Israel globally, risking its transformation into a pariah state.

- JOHN DOBSON

On Wednesday, two young members of the Israeli embassy in Washington were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum, about a mile from the White House, when they were murdered in cold blood. According to Israel's ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, the victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, had become close friends and were planning to travel to Jerusalem the following week to become engaged. Instead of a wedding, their parents and friends will now be attending their funerals. Advocacy groups, to which both Yaron and Sarah belonged, told Reuters that each was trying to promote reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. Sickeningly, their suspected murderer, 30-year-old Elias Rodrigues from Chicago, shouted "Free Palestine, Free Palestine" as he was taken into custody. Later, Rodrigues told police "I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza".

President Donald Trump quickly condemned the shooting. "These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on anti-Semitism, must end now" he said in a message on Truth Social. "Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA". World leaders also took to social media to add their sympathy and outrage at the sickening violence against the two young victims who promoted peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his heart ached for the families of the victims "whose lives were cut short in a moment by an abhorrent anti-Semitic murderer.