Congressman openly expresses heartfelt condemnation of political violence, following the tragic deaths of personnel at the Israeli Embassy.
In the wake of the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a Jewish congressman has shared his personal fears of political violence and condemned violent protests.
Democratic Representative Greg Landsman, in his second term representing Ohio, expressed his profound distress over the killings, describing the incident as "deeply personal and profoundly unsettling." Landsman revealed that he has been plagued by thoughts of being caught in a crowd, a chilling reminder of the attack on Lischinsky and Milgrim.
During a rally, Landsman decided against police protection, recounting a frightening vision of himself being shot and killed. He noted that this happened just days after the tragic event at the Capital Jewish Museum.
Landsman stressed the importance of peaceful protests and differentiating between free speech and hate speech or violent speech. He emphasized the significance of organizing and advocating while maintaining the distinction between protest and chaos.
In his emotional statement, Landsman detailed instances where anti-Israel protesters have followed him for over a year, sleeping outside his home and threatening him and his family. However, he underscored that the majority of protesters are not violent.
Other Jewish members of Congress face similar situations, with some requiring constant police protection while in their home states. Expressing concern, Landsman mentioned the comparability between the killings and the "outrageous murder" of six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume, whose death was attributed to religious hatred.
Landsman called for a ceasefire in Israel's conflict with Hamas and urged the Senate to pass the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, which the House passed last year. He argued that the legislation would help combat antisemitism and suggested that colleges collaborate with organizations such as the American Jewish Committee in this effort.
Landsman emphasized the need to halt the politicization of antisemitism and urged his colleagues to treat it as a nonpartisan, noncontroversial issue. He attributed the violence against the Israeli Embassy staffers to the spread of "blood libels."
It is important to note that the Antisemitism Awareness Act is a bill designed to codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, offering federal agencies and educational institutions clearer guidelines for identifying and responding to antisemitic incidents. However, this bill has been met with controversy due to the inclusion of political positions critical of Israel, which critics argue could suppress legitimate criticism of Israeli government policies and hinder free speech. The bill's progress has been stalled over concerns about free speech, the scope of antisemitic definitions, and political implications.
- Representative Greg Landsman, amidst escalating political tensions and anti-Israel protests, has emphasized the necessity of peaceful demonstrations, stating that it's crucial to distinguish between free speech and violent speech.
- In the midst of increasing concerns about war and conflicts, Landsman has called for a ceasefire in Israel's conflict with Hamas, advocating for the passage of the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act that aims to combat antisemitism and promotes collaboration between colleges and organizations like the American Jewish Committee.
- As education-and-self-development initiatives strive to promote understanding and tolerance, Landsman has urged his colleagues to regard antisemitism as a nonpartisan, noncontroversial issue, and to halt the politicization of antisemitism, attributing the violence against the Israeli Embassy staffers to the spread of "blood libels."
