Washington Attack Leaves German Jewish Leader ‘Shattered

The head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany has expressed profound grief over the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, D.C., saying the news left his heart “torn apart.”

Speaking to dpa on Thursday, Council President Josef Schuster extended his condolences to the victims’ families and emphasized the growing danger facing Jewish communities worldwide.

“I had just returned from Israel, where representatives of Jewish organizations from across the globe spoke of the rising tide of hatred against Jews and Israel,” Schuster said. “Just one day later, this has been confirmed in the most tragic way.”

He described the surge in political and antisemitic violence, even in Western democracies, as both “shocking and threatening.”

Schuster also warned that staff working at Israeli missions in Germany remain at heightened risk, underscoring the urgent need for increased vigilance and protection.