Antisemitism, anti-Zionism, terror attacks, killings: Any cure? Experts Debate Solutions to Lone-Wolf Terror

Two Israeli embassy staff members have been recently fatally shot near the Capital Jewish Museum in the heart of Washington. Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, were a couple planning to get married. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed deep shock over the terrorist attack, emphasizing that “Israeli representatives around the world are constantly under threat.”

US President Donald Trump described the attack as very tragic and clearly motivated by antisemitism.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tweets his condemnation “in the strongest possible terms” of the shooting that killed two Israeli Embassy staff members. “Our prayers are with their loved ones,” he says. “This was a brazen act of cowardly, antisemitic violence. Make no mistake: we will track down those responsible and bring them to justice.”

How did antisemitism reach such a level even in the US — a country often hailed as a melting pot of cultures? How can this form of intolerance, rooted in hatred toward another nationality, be effectively fought? 

Caliber.Az turns to the US and Israeli political analysts for answers to these pressing questions.

Andrew Korybko, an expert from the US, called the killing of the Israeli diplomats in Washington an unquestionable act of terrorism. In his view, this tragedy occurred because the killer had been radicalized, influenced by news about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—particularly Israel’s actions in Gaza, which he perceived as genocide—and had been indoctrinated with the ideology of pro-Palestinian movement members. 

The political analyst said that obviously, the killer’s mental state was unstable even before the recent war, and the combination of factors mentioned pushed him to commit this terrible act. The expert emphasised that there is a clear distinction between antisemitism and anti-Zionism: the first is a fanatical hatred of Jews solely because they are Jewish, while the latter is opposition to an ideology.

Korybko noted that antisemitism is unequivocally unacceptable, while opinions on anti-Zionism remain more complex and divided. However, it is true that some antisemites disguise their fanatical hatred of Jews under the guise of anti-Zionism, which unfortunately discredits the latter. Currently, there is a genuine rise in antisemitism in the US.

The political analyst added that so-called lone-wolf terrorists become radicalized while trapped in the mistaken belief that their actions will significantly advance their cause. Preventing every one of these attacks is impossible due to their nature—public awareness campaigns, censorship, or other measures cannot serve as a cure-all in combating this threat. The US is not an exception; similar incidents occur worldwide. This means lone-wolf terrorists will never disappear and will remain a constant threat to Jewish communities everywhere. 

In turn, Emil Schleymovich, an Israeli political analyst and editor-in-chief of the Videola.net website, as well as the creator of the YouTube channel "Schleymovich: Let’s Figure It Out," noted that all major Jewish state and community centres abroad are under tight security. 

“As for embassies, there’s no question—they are surrounded by fences, equipped with cameras and access control systems: a person enters through one door, then another, all under constant surveillance. Take the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington as an example. The shooter surrendered voluntarily, but even if he hadn’t, he would have been caught anyway—the site is monitored from every angle by cameras, and security personnel respond instantly. Still, it’s impossible to live life moving from one heavily guarded centre to another, all surrounded by fences and watchtowers manned by armed guards,” he said.

The expert revealed that a recent conference of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) took place in New York—a gathering typically attended by a highly influential international Jewish lobby. For security reasons, all guests leaving the hall were required to remove their badges, underscoring the constant threat of attacks or terrorism.

“These trends in the US have intensified since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, particularly after October 7. In 2024, over 9,300 antisemitic incidents have been recorded across the country. This isn’t just vandalism—it involves direct attacks and acts of violence,” Schleymovich said.  

“They attack where individuals can be identified—targeting places associated with the Jewish community or people wearing traditional clothing, such as a kippah. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has ordered increased security at Israeli sites worldwide. Well, if there were two guards before, now there will be four. But on a global scale, this won’t solve the problem,” the political analyst emphasised.

In his view, the trigger for such crimes is the relentless, aggressive anti-Israel propaganda that escalates into outright antisemitism. For example, the killing of the two Israeli diplomats has been linked to a wave of reports falsely claiming that Israel is blocking humanitarian aid, including baby food, to Gaza—allegations that have fueled fears that 14,000 children could starve to death.

“That’s a lie. The first trucks to enter Gaza were carrying food specifically for children. The UN representatives later clarified that they had been misunderstood — they were referring to potential food shortages over the next six months to a year. This is not the first time such misinformation has occurred: the UN previously predicted a famine in Gaza for 2024, only to later retract that forecast. The predicted level of famine never materialized.”  

The expert noted that such propaganda influences people with unstable mental states. The killer of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim turned out to be a radical Marxist and a member of an anti-Zionist organization that views Israel as an imperialist power. Yet calling Israel an empire is a stretch — it has no colonies as opposed to the US or Russia, which colonized northern territories and destroyed around 70 indigenous peoples. 

“When misinformation pours in from every direction, it has a profound impact—and the consequences can be tragic. In this case, the victims were a couple preparing to get married—they were killed. For what purpose? What will change in the world? Nothing. Only pain remains,” the political analyst emphasised.

In his view, there are two main factors fueling antisemitic sentiments worldwide today. The first is an objective one: the humanitarian situation in Gaza is indeed dire, with many lives lost, including civilians. However, statistics show that the ratio of combatant to civilian casualties is among the lowest ever recorded in urban conflict zones.  

“But for the families of the victims, these statistics mean little. They are losing loved ones and homes. For those who hear their stories, sympathy for Jews does not grow—which is entirely understandable. In Israel, alternative Independence Day gatherings have long been held, where victims’ families from both sides come together to seek dialogue and understanding,” Schleymovich said.

The expert said that at the same time, a powerful anti-Israel propaganda machine has been operating, intensifying since October 7. For example, a large demonstration in London was organised by six non-governmental organisations (NGOs), at least three of whose leaders have direct ties to Hamas: one was a member of its political bureau, while others openly espouse antisemitism. 

“These NGOs organise the collection of so-called ‘humanitarian aid’ that rarely reaches Gaza. One Hamas leader reportedly profited by $3 billion, another by $5 billion, while the entire annual budget of Gaza and its residents before the war was just $1 billion. In reality, the funds intended for Gaza end up in private overseas accounts controlled by Hamas leadership,” he added.