The United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Acting Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Virginia Gamba, expressed her outmost dismay and condemnation of the horrific killing of two Israeli Embassy diplomats, which took place in Washington, D.C. on the evening of 21 May. The tragic shooting happened outside an event focused on bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza through Israeli-Palestinian and regional collaboration.

“There is no place in the world where such a horrific antisemitic hate crime as the murders of Mr. Yaron Lischinsky and Miss Sarah Milgrim can be justified. Antisemitism must stop now. All those working to build peace and bring communities together in a situation of crisis must be supported”, the Acting Special Adviser urged, sending condolences to the families.

Condemning the rise of antisemitic hate speech and hate crimes globally, the Acting Special Adviser reminds that any act of senseless violence only breeds further violence. “Intolerance, discrimination and attacks against one religious community are attacks against everyone. We learnt from history that, if not addressed, they can lead to serious international crimes. It is, hence, our moral responsibility to address this scourge now”, Virginia Gamba added.

Recalling the message of the UN Secretary-General, the Acting Special Adviser urged the perpetrator to be brought to justice. She further reaffirmed that the United Nations Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism, led by USG Miguel Moratinos, and the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, coordinated by her office, offer a comprehensive framework to counter antisemitism in all its forms. “I am ready to support all stakeholders on the urgent implementation of these policy documents for a world free of antisemitism and hate speech. We must expedite and increase all efforts to stop hatred that incites to violence and to speak up against all forms of antisemitism”, stressed the Acting Special Adviser.