I was heartbroken to learn of the murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, two Israeli embassy workers senselessly killed in Washington D.C. Their lives were cut short in an act of violence that has left their families, friends, and neighbors devastated. I want to express my deepest condolences to all who knew and loved them. Their loss is profound, and my heart is with their community in this time of mourning.
As someone born in Gaza, I know this pain. Earlier this year, my oldest brother was killed — two weeks after his 35-year-old son. Two weeks later, his 25-year-old son was killed. Then, just days after that, his grandson. Four lives — gone in five weeks. None of them had ever thrown a stone, picked up a weapon, or posed a threat. They were simply trying to live. That is what makes all this so devastating — for me, and for so many others on both sides who have lost innocent family members to senseless, indiscriminate violence.
That’s why what happened in Washington struck such a deep chord. Violence like this doesn’t bring us closer to peace — it pushes us further from it. The lives of Yaron and Sarah, their dreams, their potential, the joy they brought into the world, were taken in an instant. Their families now carry a grief that will never fully heal. That pain deserves to be honored, just as the pain of every civilian lost, whether in Gaza, Tel Aviv, or Washington, deserves to be honored.
Violence like this doesn’t just harm its victims. It sets back the cause of justice. It turns potential allies into skeptics and closes hearts that might otherwise be open. It fuels extremists on all sides and makes it harder for those of us trying to bring people together — Jews, Muslims, Christians, Palestinians, and Israelis alike. It reinforces false, dangerous narratives that paint Palestinians as inherently violent and unworthy of freedom, dignity, or empathy.
It also puts our communities here at home in danger. It poisons the public conversation. It silences the voices of the oppressed. It creates a climate where hate feels justified and violence is mistaken for strength. And it gives our leaders the excuse to turn away from what truly matters: ending the blockade, stopping the killing, and building a real path to peace.
This act of hate did not help Gaza — it made things worse. Gaza does not need more senseless killing. It needs life: water, food, medicine, and aid. It needs hope, not more death. The Palestinian people are already enduring more than enough.
I hope our elected leaders use this moment not to divide us further, but to bring us together. And I hope they are moved not just to speak, but to act — with urgency and compassion — to end the suffering and help all people live in peace.
To the family of Yaron and Sarah, and to the Jewish community here and around the world: I am deeply sorry. I stand with you in sorrow and in outrage, just as so many of you have stood with the people of Gaza in their suffering and struggle. That shared humanity is our only hope.
Anan Abu-Taleb is a longtime Oak Park resident. He served two terms as Oak Park mayor, 2013-2021.