The recent killing of two Israeli embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, in Washington by Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old from Chicago, has exposed a troubling intersection of violent ideologies.
Rodriguez, reportedly linked to the Party for Socialism and Liberation – a radical anti-capitalist group – is said to have targeted Yaron and Sarah solely because of their Jewish identity, while they were leaving a humanitarian conference focused on aid for Gazans. This attack is not just antisemitic violence; it is a stark manifestation of the global intifada’s reach into the heart of America.
The global intifada movement, a growing wave of fervent activism against Israel’s policies, has merged in complex ways with radical anti-capitalist sentiments. At first glance, anti-capitalism and the global intifada might seem separate: one critiques economic systems, the other takes a militant stance against Israeli state actions.
But they often feed each other, sharing a common narrative that blames a small, powerful group for global suffering and injustice. This narrative draws on antisemitic conspiracy theories – old stereotypes repackaged as critiques of “Zionists,” “globalists,” or “bankers.” These terms serve as coded language that disguises deep-rooted prejudice while giving the movement a veneer of political legitimacy.
Within this fusion, the global intifada amplifies antisemitism under the guise of resistance, turning political opposition into ethnic hatred. The movement’s rhetoric often crosses the line from criticism of Israel’s policies to demonizing Jewish people, fueling dangerous conspiracies that echo centuries-old antisemitic myths about secret control over economies, media, and governments.
The toxic ideologies behind the terror attack
When such views merge with radical anti-capitalism, which already opposes perceived financial elites, the result is a volatile mix that scapegoats Jewish individuals as the root cause of global crises.
This toxic blend is further complicated by how some activists misuse the concept of intersectionality. Originally meant to highlight overlapping forms of oppression, intersectionality has been twisted in parts of the global intifada movement to exclude Jews from victimhood, portraying them instead as oppressors. This distortion weaponizes a framework designed for justice, erasing Jewish suffering and providing cover for antisemitism disguised as political critique.
What makes this moment especially perilous is how normalized antisemitic tropes have become, even among those who would not openly identify as antisemites. Within activist circles, these ideas slip into conversations as “legitimate” critique, while conspiracy theories offer simplistic answers for complex problems – blaming Jewish people for systemic issues rather than confronting the real military, political, and economic ones.
This craving for easy answers and clear villains is a dangerous trap. It ignores the complexity of systemic problems and allows hatred to flourish. The harsh truth is that the violence in Washington – the deaths of Yaron and Sarah – did not come out of nowhere. It is the bloody consequence of a worldview that dehumanizes Jewish people, blames them for societal woes, and justifies violence under the banner of revolutionary justice.
Their murders demand more than silence. They are a warning that the global intifada movement, intertwined with radical anti-capitalist ideology and fueled by antisemitic conspiracy, is a threat that must be confronted head-on. When hateful lies are recycled as political critique and activism, the outcome is not progress but tragedy.
What took Yaron and Sarah’s lives was more than a gun – it was an ideology that distorts justice into hatred and scapegoating. If leaders, society, and the media do not urgently call out and dismantle this toxic mix, more lives will be lost, and the silence that follows will be as damning as the violence itself.
Michael J. Salamon, PhD, is a psychologist and strategic consultant specializing in trauma and abuse. He is director of ADC Psychological Services in Netanya and Hewlett, NY, and is on consulting staff at Northwell Health, Manhasset, NY.
Louis Libin is an expert in military strategies and innovation, and advises on and teaches military innovation, wireless systems, and emergency communications at military colleges and agencies. He is the founder of a consulting group for emergency management, cybersecurity, IP, and communications.