U.S. Air Force member sets himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., in apparent protest against war in Gaza

An active-duty U.S. Air Drive member is in important situation after he set himself on hearth outdoors the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, officers mentioned.

The person set himself on hearth round 1 p.m. ET and each the U.S. Secret Service and Metropolitan Police Division responded, the companies mentioned.

The embassy mentioned in a press release to CBS Information that no employees members had been injured.

MPD additionally investigated a “suspicious car” it mentioned could also be linked to the person who set himself on hearth, however that car was cleared round 4 p.m.

In a video that was reside streamed on Twitch, the person recognized himself and mentioned he was an energetic obligation member of the U.S. Air Drive. The Air Drive confirmed an energetic obligation airman was concerned, however didn’t establish him. Neither USSS nor MPD has recognized the person. CBS Information has not independently verified his identification.

Previous to setting himself on hearth, the person mentioned he would “now not be complicit in genocide” and that he was “about to interact in an excessive act of protest.” After setting himself on hearth, he yelled “free Palestine” repeatedly.

The Twitch channel has since been eliminated, however Talia Jane, an unbiased reporter who acquired a hyperlink to the video earlier Sunday, archived the video and shared it with CBS Information.

That is the second time somebody has set themselves on hearth outdoors an Israeli facility within the U.S. for the reason that begin of the Israel-Hamas struggle. 

A protester set themself on hearth outdoors the Israeli consulate in Atlanta final December. A Palestinian flag was discovered on the scene after what police known as an “excessive act of political protest,” in accordance with the BBC.

Greater than 4 months after Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on Israel, the dying toll in Gaza is nearing 30,000, in accordance with the Gaza Ministry of Well being.  

Sunday’s incident comes lower than per week after the US vetoed a U.N. decision calling for a direct cease-fire within the Gaza Strip, though negotiations to dealer a brief cease-fire to facilitate the additional launch of hostages are ongoing.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has additionally continued to defend his navy’s actions in Gaza. 

Whereas the State Division twice in December bypassed Congress to approve emergency weapons gross sales to Israel, President Biden has grow to be extra important of Israel’s techniques in latest weeks, at one level calling Israel’s response in Gaza “excessive.” Mr. Biden has additionally urged Netanyahu to chorus from a floor assault within the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah, the place some 1.4 million Palestinians have already sought refuge from the preventing, until Israel had a “credible” plan to make sure the security of Palestinian civilians.

Netanyahu, nevertheless, appeared intent on launching a floor assault on Rafah, saying Sunday on “Face the Nation” that such an operation would imply, “the extraordinary part of the preventing is weeks away from completion.”

The leaders of a number of nations have accused Israel of finishing up a genocide in Gaza, with South Africa bringing a case earlier than the United Nations’ Worldwide Courtroom of Justice. In a January interim judgment, then-ICJ President Joan E. Donoghue refused Israel’s request to dismiss the case. The courtroom discovered it had jurisdiction to contemplate the case, noting there have been believable claims Israel may very well be committing genocidal acts. The courtroom, nevertheless, didn’t order a cease-fire.

Netanyahu has denied any claims of genocide, saying after the courtroom’s interim ruling the allegation is “not solely false, it is outrageous.”

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