OTTAWA — Israel's ambassador in Canada said the country's diplomatic team in Ottawa feels safe but must remain "vigilant" after a shooting killed two employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
Iddo Moed said in an interview Thursday the embassy is "shocked and devastated" by what happened.
"We have to be aware that risks nowadays are greater than ever before," Moed said, noting the significant rise of antisemitism and acts of hatred and violence targeting Jews including in Canada.
"We have to do whatever we can to try and stop this violent expression of hatred that is out there … We all have to do whatever we can to stop those who are out there to harm others."
Canadian politicians and Jewish groups expressed horror and outrage at the shooting which killed Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and American citizen Sarah Milgrim. The young couple were shot as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum.
Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith told a news conference on Thursday that the suspect had been seen pacing outside the museum, then approached a group of four people and opened fire.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he is "devastated and appalled" by the killings, calling it a targeted attack on the Jewish community and condemning it "in the strongest terms."
"My prayers are with Yaron and Sarah, their grieving loved ones, and the entire Jewish community," he said in a post on social media.
In her own social media post, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said antisemitism and the "violence and fear it brings are beyond deplorable and must stop."
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Lischinsky and Milgrim "had lives of promise" that were cut short when they were "targeted and killed, simply because they were Jewish."
"Antisemitism is the world’s most enduring form of hatred. We see it rear its ugly head close to home here in Canada as well, with violence, vandalism, and intimidation in our communities," he said on social media.
"We must speak the truth, stand with the Jewish community, and unite to erase this hatred from Canada and the entire world."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Thursday he was shocked by the attack.
“We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and wild incitement against Israel,” he said in a media statement.
Several police forces said they had increased patrols following the shooting. York Regional Police north of Toronto said they'll be increasing their presence around synagogues and other places of worship, as well as at schools and community centres.
"There is no immediate threat to our region and these patrols are in place to support all members of our community," police said.
Toronto Police said they will have a "visible presence" across the city. Police also said they'll be present at Sunday's Walk for Israel event in Toronto and that "anyone who attempts to incite violence or target others based on race, religion, or any other factor will face immediate and decisive action.
"Acts of hate will not be tolerated."
Canada's Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman said on social media the killings were "a horrible attack of hatred and antisemitism."
"I, together with all of my Embassy of Canada colleagues, offer our deep and sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victims. Canada condemns antisemitism in all its forms."
Advocacy organization B’nai Brith Canada said in a statement the shooting is "what happens when hate is allowed to flourish."
"This wasn’t just an attack on two innocent people. It was the bloody consequence of a culture that has normalized antisemitic hatred under the banner of activism," the group said in a media statement.
"Canada’s leaders must act — not with statements, but with consequences — against those who incite, radicalize, and poison our public spaces with hate."
Liberal MP Ben Carr said on social media the killings Wednesday demonstrate "why added security measures are needed to protect religious minorities at a time of intensified hate — particularly against the Jewish community which is overwhelmingly and disproportionately the target of hate crimes in Canada."
— With files from The Associated Press, Jordan Omstead in Toronto and David Baxter in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025.
Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
