The Heritage Foundation has expressed its condolences and condemned the murder of two Israeli diplomats outside the Capital Jewish Museum, which is being investigated as an antisemitic terrorist act.
Victoria Coates, vice president of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at Heritage, stated: “We are saddened by the loss of Yaron and Sarah, two young diplomats who had their whole lives ahead of them. Their murder reinforces the purpose behind Heritage establishing the National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism and Project Esther. We must be clear-eyed about the danger the so-called ‘pro-Palestinian’ movement poses to American society.”
Robert Greenway, director of the Allison Center for National Security at Heritage, also condemned the violence: “I am heartbroken and outraged by the terrorist attack which took the lives of our friend and colleague Yaron Lischinsky and his fiancée Sarah Milgrim. Their tragic deaths are a horrific loss to their families, the Israeli Embassy and Foreign Affairs Ministry, and all of those who seek peace.
“The barbarous attack is a brutal reminder of the alarming rise of antisemitism in the United States. We all have a solemn responsibility to confront the scourge of antisemitism and to stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters and the State of Israel.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Yaron and Sarah, the Israeli Embassy staff, and everyone mourning their loss. May their memories be a blessing.”
Daniel Flesch, senior policy analyst for Middle East and North Africa at Heritage, added: “We are shocked and saddened by the loss of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim—two young diplomats whose lives were cut short by a barbaric display of antisemitic terrorism. Our thoughts and prayers are with Yaron and Sarah’s families.
“Yaron and Sarah were attending an event for young diplomats hosted by the American Jewish Committee. They were targeted not because of their positions in Israel’s Embassy to the United States but for participating in a Jewish event. In shouting ‘free Palestine’ and waving a keffiyah outside a Jewish event, the murderer made clear his motivation was to target Jews. This was a clear act of terrorism committed just steps from U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
“This is threat that Project Esther: A National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism was drafted to end. While Jewish people were attacked last night, ultimate objective murderer ideology organizations he represents United States. Heritage remains steadfastly committed defeating this destructive ideology that has no place in our country.”
Dr. Kevin Roberts, president The Heritage Foundation Action America sent letter Ambassador Leiter expressing condolences condemning attack.
The National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism (NTFCA), supported by The Heritage Foundation, is an informal volunteer coalition aimed at combating antisemitism domestically while reaffirming America’s commitment to bilateral relations with Israel.
