From Campus Chants to Deadly Acts: Israeli Embassy Staff Killed in D.C.

The brutal murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sara Milgram, two Israeli Embassy staffers, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., casts a chilling spotlight on the venomous rhetoric seeping from campus protests into deadly action. The suspect, 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez, allegedly echoed the chant "Free Palestine" heard at anti-Israel demonstrations, claiming he acted "for Gaza." This tragedy underscores a stark truth: words can kill.

The young couple, set to be engaged, was gunned down in a city that symbolizes democracy, yet hate has found fertile ground here. Since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel—where terrorists and civilians committed atrocities, killing and kidnapping with gleeful brutality—antisemitism has surged globally. From college campuses to city streets, chants of "genocide" and "free Palestine" have fueled a dangerous narrative. Just hours before the D.C. attack, Columbia University’s commencement saw protesters burn diplomas, shouting the same slogans.

This isn’t just about one gunman. It’s about a culture of hate, incubated in places like Gaza, where children are taught to kill Jews in Hamas-run summer camps and schools, some backed by UNRWA. A copy of Mein Kampf was found in a child’s bedroom used as a terrorist base. Words shape minds, and minds pull triggers.

Campuses like NYU and Columbia have become echo chambers for reckless accusations, with students like Logan Rozos decrying alleged U.S.-backed "genocide" in Gaza. These words aren’t harmless—they ignite violence. The silent majority must now speak, demanding accountability before more lives are lost.