Sarah and Yaron were a young couple about to be engaged, both living and working in Washington DC. Last Thursday they were murdered by a cold blooded terrorist. Yaron Lischinsky, a German-Israeli,  30 years ago,  was a research assistant at the political department, working with think tanks.

 Sarah Milgram, American, 26 years old, was responsible for community networking at the Public Diplomacy department. Both were staffers at the Israeli embassy in Washington DC.

The gunman, a 30 years old American allegedly affiliated with extreme left organizations, was shouting "Free Palestine" as he was arrested and later told the police he did it "for Palestine". What made him ambush at the entrance of the Jewish museum and shoot 21 bullets at a young couple he never met?

In today’s highly polarized world, words carry an unprecedented power. They can unite people, inspire positive change, and challenge injustice. But they can also divide, incite hatred, and fuel violence. When words are used to promote antisemitism, incite terrorism, or call for the destruction of a sovereign state, the consequences can be deadly.

One of the most alarming developments in recent years is the increasing use of harmful rhetoric surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—rhetoric that not only deepens divisions but also leads to real-world violence. From the murder of Israeli diplomats to the glorification of terrorism, this language is not just a call for political change; it is a call for bloodshed.

Globalizing the Intifada is A Call to Kill

The term “Intifada” refers to the Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation, marked by violence and terrorism. The phrase “globalizing the intifada” has gained traction in recent years, calling for the spread of violent resistance beyond the borders of Israel and the Palestinian territories. This slogan is not a call for peaceful dialogue or nonviolent protest; it is a rallying cry for terrorism.

To “globalize the intifada” is to encourage the use of violence, not only in the Middle East but in communities around the world. This call for international violence is especially dangerous because it foments hatred against Jews globally, making it clear that the target is not just Israeli soldiers or politicians, but Jews as a whole.

This rhetoric doesn’t just harm Israelis; it also harms Palestinians. When violence and terrorism are glorified, the prospects for peace and the ability to build a better future for the Palestinian people are severely undermined. Supporting violence over dialogue only perpetuates cycles of suffering and prevents any meaningful steps toward reconciliation or self-determination for the Palestinian people.

The Call to “From the River to the Sea”: Erasing Israel from Existence

Another dangerous phrase that has gained traction among some anti-Israel activists is “from the river to the sea,” which refers to the idea of a Palestinian state stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. While some claim this is simply an expression of solidarity with Palestinian aspirations, its implications are far more sinister.

The message behind “from the river to the sea” is an explicit demand for the elimination of Israel as a Jewish state. Israel, as a member of the United Nations and a recognized sovereign state, has the right to exist within secure and recognized borders. By advocating for the removal of Israel from the map, this rhetoric calls for the destruction of an entire nation—an act that would not only wipe out a country, but would also obliterate the rights of millions of Jews who call it home.

Such rhetoric encourages the denial of Israel's legitimacy and fosters antisemitism. 

Justifying Terrorism: A Call to Kill Jews

Another alarming trend of some groups and individuals is openly justifying terrorist organizations like Hamas, which has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians through suicide bombings, rocket attacks, and other violent acts. Hamas’s stated goal is the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic state. It does not promote peace or coexistence but rather espouses the use of violence to achieve its objectives.

When individuals or groups express solidarity with Hamas, they are not advocating for Palestinian rights or for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Instead, they are endorsing violence, murder, and the targeting of civilians, Israelis, Jews but also Palestinians who do not support them. This kind of support is not only morally reprehensible but also strategically harmful to the Palestinian cause, as it perpetuates a narrative of violence that alienates potential allies and undermines any prospects for peace.

There is nothing wrong with supporting the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and a sovereign state, as peaceful resolution in which both Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in secure and recognized borders.

But Supporting the two-state solution does not require the elimination of Israel; rather, it requires negotiation, compromise, and mutual recognition of each other’s right to exist.

Last week horrific murder of Yaron and Sarah reminded us that words have consequences. Incendiary rhetoric like “globalizing the intifada” or “from the river to the sea” serves not as a path to peace but as a call to violence.  Support for terrorist organizations like Hamas is not a call for justice; it is a call to murder. 

We must be careful about the language we use and the ideologies we endorse. If we hope to achieve peace, we must stop the spread of hatred and focus on dialogue, negotiation, and mutual respect.

Galit Peleg is the Ambassador of Israel to Albania and Bosnia Herzegovina