Was the shooting of Israeli embassy staff at Jewish museum a false flag?

Some social media users attributed the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, DC, to the time and place of the incident, which some users said was a “false flag.”

According to a May 22&nbsp, X post, “You’re telling me two Israeli diplomats got killed across the street from an FBI field office outside a Jewish museum that had *closed* four hours earlier.” You don’t believe it’s a false flag, but one day after Israel fired at European diplomats, Europe was discussing sanctions.

Other X posts made similar speculations about the May 21 deadly shooting.

The use of literal flags is the source of the phrase “false flag.” A false flag operation was historically used to refer to a military force or ship that carried the flag of another nation for deception.

Throughout history, some confirmed false flag operations have taken place. However, conspiracy theories that characterize actual events as “false flags” or as attacks intended to appear to be carried out by one person or party when actually they were carried out by someone else have outstripped them in recent years.

Unfounded false flag claims frequently follow violent incidents like the US Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, and Israel’s war against Gaza.

Historians advise caution when circulating social media rumors that “false flags” are true. Real false flag operations typically involve a lot of people and require logistical expertise.

No reliable sources of data supported the claim that the Israeli Embassy employees shot a false flag, according to PolitiFact.

What we are aware of the shooting

Because the museum had closed four hours prior, the shooting, according to the X post, is a “false flag.” The museum typically closes on Wednesdays at 5 p.m., with the exception of the first Wednesday of each month, which is 8 p.m.

However, the museum’s May 21 event, scheduled for 9pm, was held by the American Jewish Committee.

At a press conference on May 21st, Pamela A. Smith, the Metropolitan Police Department’s police chief, stated that preliminary investigations indicated the shooting occurred when the two victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, were exiting a gathering at the Capital Jewish Museum.

The suspect, a 31-year-old Chicago resident named Elias Rodriguez, according to the police. After his arrest, Rodriguez chanted, “Free, free, Palestine,” according to Smith. He was accused of killing foreign officials and other crimes by the Justice Department.

Israel’s actions in Gaza have sparked a global outcry and protests calling for a ceasefire, which has been widely criticized.

The incident is being looked into as a hate crime and “terrorism,” according to Jeanine Pirro, the interim US attorney for the District of Columbia, as of May 22.

The FBI’s DC field office is across the street from the Capital Jewish Museum. The shooting has been condemned by FBI Director Kash Patel and the Israeli government.