The American government today charged 31- year old Elias Rodriquez for the murder of two Israeli Embassy staff on Wednesday night
The two, identified as Yaro Lischinsky and Sara Milgrim, were returning from an event at a Jewish Museum in Washington, just a few kilometres from the office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and White House, seat of America’s presidency, when they were fatally shot.
Prosecutors are charging Rodriquez, who is from Chicago, with two counts of first degree murder of the two who were set to be engaged next week.
They believe he acted alone, and that his apprehension meant there was no further immediate security threat.
Rodriquez could also face a terrorism charge and offences related to illegal gun possession, according to sources in the police who are still investigating the incident.
No plea was taken today but Rodriquez was quoted by police and court sources as saying he killed both Israeli for the sake of Gaza and the Palestinian cause.
Israel, which has occupied and annexed part of Palestine for more than 70 years, is currently waging a highly controversial high heel military campaign in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank.
The campaign followed the October 7,2023 invasion of Israel by Hamas, the Palestinian group it tags a terrorist group, and which has been fighting it. The 2023 attack kec yo the death of some 1,200 soldiers, policemen and civilians and the abduction of some 400 civilians, many of who have since been killed in the Israeli retaliatory attack on Gaza, which has been roundly criticised for not only being indiscriminate , but also disproportionate.
The Hamas- run Gaza Government, said in excess of 50,000 persons, mainly children and women, have been killed, and around 100,000 others wounded in the battles of the war.
Global opinion against the war and the Israeli blockade of Gaza has snowballed, with some of Israel ‘s Western allies, including France, Britain and Canada, threatening , in a joint statement, warning of sanctions against the Jewish state unless it ended both its shooting war and the 11-week long blockade that had prevented food, water, medicine and other humanitarian items, from getting into Gaza.
Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been repeatedly accused of prolonging the war for his personal political survival, today accused the leaders of France, Britain and Canada, of backing Hamas, which he held out as rapists, kidnappers and mass murderers.
