In response to the murder of Israeli Embassy staff members Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim in Washington, DC on Wednesday night, PEN America has released the following statement:
“PEN America is horrified by the brutal, targeted killing of two diplomats in our nation’s capital. The murder of Israeli Embassy staff members Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum is a tragedy. It is also an example of increasing antisemitism that has spread in the U.S. and globally since October 7, 2023.
Political and hate-motivated violence is a crime that silences not just the voices of its victims, but all those who sense they could just as easily have been the targets. It shuts down the space for discourse and poses a fundamental threat to free expression for us all.
As a free expression organization, our work to defend people’s right to speak does not require us to condone hateful speech or stay silent when violence occurs. PEN America condemns antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of bigotry, and reaffirms its commitment to peace, dignity, and safety for Palestinians, Israelis, Muslims, and Jews; to protecting free expression for all; and to upholding our Charter, which calls on PEN Members to ‘do their utmost to dispel all hatreds.’”
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Malka Margolies, [email protected], 718-530-3582