2 Israeli embassy staff members killed by gunman in Washington D.C.
Israel's foreign minister on Thursday blamed what he called incitement from world leaders, especially Europeans, for the killing of two embassy staff members in Washington.
“There is a direct line connecting antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement to this murder. This incitement is also done by leaders and officials of many countries and international organizations, especially from Europe,” Gideon Saar told a press conference in Jerusalem.
“The words are the modern blood libels,” Saar said.
A gunman opened fire near the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington D.C., Wednesday night, killing two Israeli embassy staff members.
Upon his arrest, the gunman shouted "Free Palestine," according to a video that went viral on social media.
The attack came as Israel has been under mounting pressure to halt its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, where nearly 53,700 people have been killed, mostly women and children, since October 2023.
This week, European nations announced a series of escalatory measures against the Israeli government over its Gaza war.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France supports revisiting the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the most important framework binding Israel to the EU.
In the UK, the government imposed sanctions on illegal Israeli settlers and organizations involved in violence against Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank.
EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas also announced that a majority of EU member states had agreed to reopen discussions on the future of the EU-Israel partnership agreement.
“I say today to these leaders and officials, stop your excitement against Israel. Stop your false accusations,” Sa'ar said.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
