Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday condemned the murder of two young Israeli diplomats in Washington, DC, “in the strongest terms” and said that “the perpetrators must be brought to justice.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and colleagues,” Jaishankar said.
“Thank you, dear friend!” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar replied via social media.
The Indian and Israeli foreign ministers were discussing Wednesday night’s killing of Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, 26, reportedly by a 30-year-old left-wing pro-Hamas activist named Elias Rodriguez.
Lischinsky and Milgrim, a couple on the verge of becoming engaged, were both employed by the Israeli Embassy in Washington. Lischinsky, a Christian with dual Israeli and German citizenship, had been working as a research assistant at the embassy for several years. Milgrim was Jewish. She grew up in Kansas and joined the Israeli Embassy in D.C. in November 2023.
A man identified as Rodriguez, a resident of Chicago, was spotted lurking outside the Capital Jewish Museum before opening fire on a small group of people who emerged from a reception for young diplomats held inside. Lischinsky and Milgrim were hit by the volley of bullets at close range and killed.
Rodriguez reportedly entered the Capital Jewish Museum to be taken into custody, chanting “Free, free Palestine” and dropping a keffiyeh, the scarf that has come to be associated with Palestinian terrorism. The FBI is investigating his ties with far-left and pro-Palestinian groups. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder on Thursday.
Israel and India have been developing a close friendship in recent years, including a military partnership. When India responded to a horrific attack by Pakistan-based terrorists this month, Israeli-made Harop “kamikaze drones” were prominent among the weapons they used. India is also a devoted customer for Israeli radar systems and precision-guided weapons.
The perpetrators of the attack, identified by India as an Islamist gang called Lashkar-e-Taiba, reportedly quizzed their victims by asking them questions about Muslim religious writings, and shot them dead when they could not answer correctly. One Muslim civilian was killed in the attack, a heroic pony-ride operator who attempted to subdue one of the heavily armed terrorists.
Israel strongly supported India’s response to the Kashmir atrocity. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “deeply saddened” by the “barbaric terrorist attack” on the Kashmir tourist haven of Pahalgam, and supported India’s right to respond.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Israel stands with India in its fight against terrorism,” Netanyahu said.
Pakistani officials were enraged by the alliance between Israel and India, denouncing their friendship as an “axis of occupation” and comparing India’s presence in the disputed Kashmir province to Israel’s “occupation” of the Palestinians.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday called the Washington, DC, terror attack “deeply shocking.”
“Those responsible for this heinous act must be brought to justice. Safety and security of diplomatic staff is paramount,” he said.
The Hindustan Times reported India is planning to ask U.S. officials for more security for its diplomats and embassy in Washington. A high-level Indian delegation is scheduled to visit Washington in June, and the Indian Foreign Ministry is said to be concerned about threats to their safety by Khalistani separatists.
“The security of our diplomats is a sensitive matter. We are having a close look at the issue after what happened to the two Israeli embassy officials,” said one of the Hindustan Times’ sources.
